“Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His faithful servants. Truly I am Your servant, LORD; I serve You just as my mother did; You have freed me from my chains.” 
Psalm 116:15-16

Precious In His Sight

I’ve been thinking a lot about death lately because my father is nearing the end of his life. One thing I am sure of is that my father’s death will be precious in the sight of the LORD. I am a witness to the fact that my father has been a faithful servant. It doesn’t mean that he always did everything right. (He did not.) It doesn’t mean that he never doubted or struggled with depression. (He did.) But at a young age, my father gave his life to Jesus, and it changed him from the inside out. To the best of his ability, He followed where Jesus led him. “…all the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be” (Psalm 139:16b).

Only God knows how many days my father has left to live, but since his body is breaking down, my family has been given the gift of having time to prepare. We have been able to have healing conversations. We have deliberately taken pictures. I know that many people do not have this luxury. But even when a death is sudden or unexpected, it always comforts me to know that God had ordained the number of each person’s days long before time. If that person belongs to Jesus, then his or her death is precious to God. He knows when each one of us has fulfilled our earthly calling. 

The death of God’s children is also precious to Him because He knows how much it cost to pay for that life to spend eternity with Him. The cost of redemption was high; God’s only Son had to die. But the reward was that each one who comes to Christ will be reunited with Him forever in Heaven.

I also imagine that the reason the death of God’s faithful servants is precious is something like what happens in my house every morning. I have a young child who wakes up every morning and runs and jumps into my arms while exclaiming “Mommy!” We hug and snuggle. The separation of sleep is now over, and we are finally reunited. It is very precious.

I picture the reunion between Jesus and my father in the same way. My father will take one last breath before leaving his tired body. He will run straight into the arms of Jesus. Jesus will say, “Well done, good and faithful servant! Come and share your Master’s happiness!” (Matthew 25:21)

If you do not have a mother or father who showed you by example how to walk with Jesus, then let the legacy begin with you.

“Dear heavenly Father, we long to be with You! May we fulfill our earthly callings and please You with our lives. Amen.”