"Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints"
Psalm 116:15
I had always assumed that this verse spoke of God's compassion on dying Christians, as He looked upon their final suffering, but recently I realized that the death of a believer is precious for a different reason. The suffering of a dying child would indeed evoke the Father's compassion, but I believe that the preciousness of a saint's death has entirely to do with the joy of being in perfect fellowship with that child, for to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. (2 Cor. 5:6-8)
For those who have confessed their sins to God and asked for His forgiveness, to die is to be instantaneously translated to the glories of heaven and the presence of the Lord Himself! This is a precious transition for the believer, one to be looked forward to with great anticipation.
When a loved one is absent from us, we may communicate with them, but we still miss them. However much we are in contact with them, we still long to see them in person.
This verse makes me think that it is the same with God. We may communicate with Him in prayer, but He still desires to have us present with Him. Thus, when one of His beloved children passes into glory, it is a precious thing to Him.
What a wonderful thing it is to be counted precious by the God of the universe!
Saturday, April 5, 2014
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
An Unusual Birthday Present...
This morning I awoke to a very strange sight:
Snow on the second day of Spring! What a fantastic birthday present from my Heavenly Father!!Thursday, February 16, 2012
Happy Spring!
Beneath the earthen mounds of fallen leaves
Reduced to loam by winter’s rain and snow
Three sisters slumber, till Spring's call relieves
Their drowsy captivity therebelow.
Brave Snowdrop with great hope emerges first,
Sweetly she bends her most elegant head
To bear the cold retreating winter’s worst
Before rousing her sisters from their bed.
Reduced to loam by winter’s rain and snow
Three sisters slumber, till Spring's call relieves
Their drowsy captivity therebelow.
Brave Snowdrop with great hope emerges first,
Sweetly she bends her most elegant head
To bear the cold retreating winter’s worst
Before rousing her sisters from their bed.
Then Crocus climbs to her perilous post
To cheer and gaze upon the passers by
While humble Violet wakes, by grass engrossed,
To spread her sweetness, half-hidden and shy.
Each sister in her peculiar way
Proclaims the coming of Spring’s first bright day!
To cheer and gaze upon the passers by
While humble Violet wakes, by grass engrossed,
To spread her sweetness, half-hidden and shy.
Each sister in her peculiar way
Proclaims the coming of Spring’s first bright day!
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Saturday, December 24, 2011
The Joy of Christmas
On Christmas morn in manger bed
How sweetly lies the Babe!
The Son of God, come down to earth
man's sinful race to save.
And as He grows, that sinless Babe
Becomes a sinless Man
To bear our punishment for sin.
Fulfilling redemption's plan.
Upon a cross, with crown of thorns
Upon His head, He dies.
Then placed within a cold, dark tomb,
How silently He lies!
Yet, from His cold, dark tomb, from death
Behold Him now arise!
He conquered death, and rose in life
To win us for His prize!
May you be blessed this Christmas by the reminder of all Christ gave for you.
Merry Christmas!
Friday, September 2, 2011
Doing What You're Told...
This week I met the sixteen young students with whom I will be spending my schoolyear. I enjoy working with the little ones, but with sixteen (instead of last year's twelve) it has been a challenging week.
As I thought over my day, trying to figure out better ways of working with those who were struggling, a thought came to mind:
If they would just do what I tell them, their time in school would be so much more pleasant for them!
As soon as I thought the above, I realized that my students aren't the only ones who make life harder for themselves by disobeying!
So often I find myself inwardly rebelling against some small thing that I'm supposed to do. For example, I have been described as having "phonaphobia". I do not like calling people.
In orientation, I was reminded that each teacher was supposed to call the parents of thier students sometime during the first two weeks. Immediately, I had to fight against my natural propensity to fuss inwardly. I had reasons other than my "phobia" for not wanting to make the calls, but I knew that I needed to submit to authority and do as I had been told.
This was the day I had that convicting thought. I knew that this had not been about phone calls. God was showing me that I have not conquered my rebellious nature. It is still lurking in the background, waiting to make trouble.
I knew then that I needed to make those calls. It was too late to do so at that point, but I planned to make my calls the next evening.
Long story short, the Lord worked out a different way for me to accomplish the same thing as the phone calls, but only after I submitted to making them.
--Obedience is really better after all! : )
As I thought over my day, trying to figure out better ways of working with those who were struggling, a thought came to mind:
If they would just do what I tell them, their time in school would be so much more pleasant for them!
As soon as I thought the above, I realized that my students aren't the only ones who make life harder for themselves by disobeying!
So often I find myself inwardly rebelling against some small thing that I'm supposed to do. For example, I have been described as having "phonaphobia". I do not like calling people.
In orientation, I was reminded that each teacher was supposed to call the parents of thier students sometime during the first two weeks. Immediately, I had to fight against my natural propensity to fuss inwardly. I had reasons other than my "phobia" for not wanting to make the calls, but I knew that I needed to submit to authority and do as I had been told.
This was the day I had that convicting thought. I knew that this had not been about phone calls. God was showing me that I have not conquered my rebellious nature. It is still lurking in the background, waiting to make trouble.
I knew then that I needed to make those calls. It was too late to do so at that point, but I planned to make my calls the next evening.
Long story short, the Lord worked out a different way for me to accomplish the same thing as the phone calls, but only after I submitted to making them.
--Obedience is really better after all! : )
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Unspoken
The door is closed, yet on my lips
Are clinging words unspoken yet.
The thought to speak the words was there,
And lips had formed their shape, but e'er
The voice and lips the thought had met
The moment vanished; silent stood the air.
Oh Lord, help my thoughts and words to meld
Inseperably with Thy will.
May, when Thy Spirit gives a thought,
That very instant the deed be wrought.
That when life is over I find not still
Thy words unspoken past the doorway brought.
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