The Beauty of Death (In Memory of Linda Brown) 7-1-13 1 Corinthians 15:55: “O death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory? A beautifully witness from a friend. I pass it on: The Beauty of Death (In Memory of Linda Brown) 7-1-13 1 Corinthians 15:55: “O death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory? Linda Brown passed away on Father’s Day. She succumbed to her 14 month battle with lymphoma. Most of you do not know Linda Brown, and that is OK, but you do need to know what happened in the last week of her life; she prayed to die! Now while that may seem unusual to some of you, it is actually a beautiful testimony of a child of God asking to come home. You have been there, and I have too; homesick. I can remember my first day of school in first grade. I did not want to go, but my mother insisted, and even after arriving at school, I used the only phone on the premises (in the principal’s office) to call and ask my mother if I could come home. I was a very homesick little boy, but I did not get my request, it was not time to go home. Linda Brown was only 64 years old, but it was her time to go home. Ecclesiastes 3:1-2: “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die.” From our human perspective, we resist death because it is the last stop for this body. However, our soul and spirit live on forever. Death is not the worst thing that can happen to us. Being without a quality of life, our good senses, and our ability to function, are all reasons that death should never be feared. What is the value of life if we have to live in fear, regret, suffering or pain? Now lest you misunderstand my thought process here, I am not an advocate of suicide. That contemplation puts us in a position of idolatry (putting ourselves in the place of God). He controls life and death, and it all happens in His timing. Hebrews 9:27: “It is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.” Linda Brown prayed to die because she knew that she had lost the quality of her physical life. “Did she not think of her family,” you might be thinking? Absolutely! That is why she prayed that prayer. She did not want her family, which she loved deeply, to face what her continued life here would require. But more importantly, Linda had faith. She had faith in God and His promises, and she believed in the words of Jesus when He said: “I am the resurrection and the life. They who believe in me, though they may die, they shall live again.” (John 11:25) From a Christian’s perspective, death is not something to fear or regret. It is a passing from a sinful and painful temporary life, to a wonderful and eternal life in heaven. If we are what we ought to be and what we claim to be as Christians, we can welcome death as did the Apostle Paul. In Philippians 1:21, he said:”To die is gain.” Linda Brown knew this and that is why she could pray without reservation, because she was ready to go home. In actuality, the sadness of the death of a loved one is that we are left behind for now, but we too, at our appointed time, will also pass away. However, if we have faith like Linda, that will be the beginning of our victory. 1 Corinthians 15:52&54: “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, the saying will come to pass that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’” Linda’s family, who were by her side, tell me that she opened her eyes in her last few minutes, and then laid back with a smile and peacefully passed away. I think she saw the angelic escort coming to take her home. I believe we can support that thought with the words of Jesus when He told the story of Lazarus and the rich man. Both men died, but Lazarus was carried into heaven by the angels. Luke 16:22: “So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom.” Death is difficult for many people to deal with, but it shouldn’t be. Death is not a permanent separation, but it is a homecoming for the believer. Romans 8:38-39: “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Death is the very thing that brings us instantly into God’s presence, and there is no better place to be. Listen to this beautiful statement made by the psalmist David about the death of a believer in God. Psalm 116:15: “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.” Brothers and sisters, if you are a child of God (meaning that you believe and have asked in faith for God’s salvation), then you are assured of an eternal life in heaven. Do not fear death or the means by which God may use to bring that about, because it is only a means to a glorious future with no end. Also, if you have lost loved ones in the Lord, do not grieve as those who have no hope for the future. You will see them again; soon! Linda’s favorite saying to her family was: “I love you big as the ocean, big as the sky, and big as the whole world.” God loves each and every one of us, and as a child of God, He will be there for us when we take the last step of this life. In closing brothers and sisters, go out and live a life of peace and joy, because death has no dominion over you. One day you may read or hear that James Harrison has passed away, when you do, you should just smile and say: “Jimmy got to go home!” And that, my dear friends, is the beauty of death. “Dear Lord, thank You for the beauty of death in Your grace. Because of what You did for us through Your Son Jesus Christ, we do not have to fear the ending of our physical life, but we can look excitedly ahead to the never ending future with You in heaven. Give peace and comfort to all of those who grieve over the death of a loved one. Remind them of Your love and promises, and bring them to a wonderful understanding and acceptance of Your grace and mercy. In Christ’s name I pray, amen.” In His service, James Harrison
Posted on: Mon, 01 Jul 2013 11:56:39 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015