To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord Jesus.

What do you believe about death?

This question is important because it would affect the way we live. Our grandma Ruth was a believer and this informed her view of life. She loved Jesus and acknowledged Him as her Lord and Saviour!

What Can we learn from Scriptures about this?

Let us see what Jesus told Martha in John 11: 25-26

John 11:25–26 NIV

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

Jesus is the resurrection. On earth he raised the dead on occassions to demonstrate His power over death. And above all when He died, Hee rose again to assure us that we who believe in Him will be raised with him.

That is what we see in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 (NIV)

Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.

We griieve in hope and we can be encouraged that death is not the end of our living!

This is what Paul refers to in Philippians 1: 20-21

Philippians 1:20–21 NIV

I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

what maakes him say that to die is gain? I believe it is because for us as believers to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord!

2 Corinthians 5:6–8 NIV

Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. For we live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

Our testimony about grandma Ruth is that she has fought the good fight and she has finished the race and she has kept the faith. What is in store for her is the crwon of righteousness which the Lord the righteous judge will award to her on that day!

2 Timothy 4:7–8 NIV

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

The Question then is what about me and you?

What is our current relationship with the Lord Jesus? My prayer is that we will each continue to walk with Him; to love him and and to serve Him so that we would be ready for death anytime it comes. If we are not sure what we believe about death, take the opportunity today to ask Jesus to show you. and feel free to talk to someone about this today. Make it right with Jesus today.

Let Us Pray