READ:
John 17:20-26
Precious in the sight of the
LORD is the death of His
saints. -Psalm 116:15
Sometimes when the infinite God conveys His thoughts to finite man, mystery is the result. For example, there's a profound verse in the book of Psalms that seems to present more questions than answers: "Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His faithful servants" (Psalm 116:15 NIV).
I shake my head and wonder how that can be. I see things with earth-bound eyes, and I have a tough time seeing what is "precious" about the fact that our daughter was taken in a car accident at the age of 17-or that any of us have lost cherished loved ones.
We begin to unwrap the mystery, though, when we consider that what is precious to the Lord is not confined to earthly blessings. This verse examines a heaven-based perspective. For instance, I know from Psalm 139:16 that Melissa's arrival in God's heaven was expected. God was looking for her arrival, and it was precious in His eyes. And think about this: Imagine the Father's joy when He welcomes His children home and sees their absolute ecstasy in being face to face with His Son (see John 17:24).
When death comes for the follower of Christ, God opens His arms to welcome that person into His presence. Even through our tears, we can see how precious that is in God's eyes. - Dave Branon
Lord, when sorrow grips our hearts as we think about
the death of one close to us, remind us of the joy You are
experiencing as our loved one enjoys the pleasures of
heaven. Please allow that to give us hope and comfort.
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A sunset in one land is a sunrise in another.
INSIGHT
Much can be learned about someone from the content of his or her prayers. John 17 is part of Jesus' prayer before going to Gethsemane and the cross. Jesus looks to the future and prays for all believers, which includes you and me. He prays that Christians may be united and twice states that the purpose of Christian unity is to show the world that God sent Jesus (vv.21, 23).
Have a blessed day.
God Our Creator’s Love Always
Unity & Peace
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