Even death can be a cause for celebration

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “A season of celebration”

Our Bible verse for today: “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.” Psalm 116:15 (NIV)

Our thought for today: “Even death can be a cause for celebration”

All this month we are devotionally considering the truth that celebrating is good for us. It’s even an essential part of life. The Bible itself is filled from beginning to end with examples of God’s people celebrating. In some cases, such as with the Lord’s Supper, God has commanded us to observe, remember, and celebrate, and He has given us specific instructions for how to do it. In many other passages we’re simply told stories about weddings and feasts and public ceremonies that God’s people participated in.

The other day I performed the memorial service for my friend Dick Bidwell. But we didn’t call it a memorial service, we called it a celebration of life. It was a bittersweet time. On the one hand, it was sad because we all miss him already. But it was also joyful because we celebrated a long life that was lived well.

That experience helped me to remember that not only is celebration an important and essential part of life, but if viewed correctly we realize it can also be part of the death experience too. That’s true for several reasons. First, we make it a point to remember and celebrate the life of the deceased person. Their life was a gift to them and to us, and we celebrate the fact that the person was with us for whatever number of years they were here on earth.

Another reason we celebrate is because of the promise of eternity in heaven. Christians understand that when the person’s mortal body ceases to function, that person didn’t really die. Instead, the spirit simply left the physical body and transitioned from this realm into heaven. All the pain and suffering associated with this world has ended for that person, and they immediately enter a new reality that is glorious beyond anything we can imagine. That too is a reason to celebrate.

And then, as Psalm 116:15 explains, the passing from this life to the next is a precious thing for God. He was waiting patiently for His child to complete his or her journey through this world and arrive at their real home in heaven. The moment that happened was precious to God and it was a cause for rejoicing and celebrating in heaven. A dearly loved child was finally home.

So, the death of a Christian is a bittersweet experience. While it certainly is a time of grieving and mourning with sadness and with tears, for multiple reasons it’s also a time of celebration.

For those who have lost a loved one this year and are now approaching their first Christmas without that person, I encourage you to remember their life and be thankful for it. Then celebrate the fact that the person is now in heaven.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

(If you like what you are reading in these daily devotionals and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00 – in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville

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