Preciousness of Life and Death

Psalms 116:15
By Harold Dinsmore, M.Div.
© 2007 Harold Dinsmore

            We find ourselves once again this afternoon paying our last respects to the memory of those who have slipped away from us in death.  We try to do everything we can to prevent death.  Yet, the inevitable eventually comes around.  Hebrews 9:27 reminds us that “it is appointed unto men once to die.”  Death is unfortunately a part of life.

            I have selected a passage of scripture for us to ponder this afternoon that is to many a somewhat odd passage of scripture.  It is one that raises more questions than it may answer to many people.  However, it is one that can give us comfort and hope in the face of the death of friends and loved ones.  It comes to us from the book of Psalms.  Chapter 116 and verse 15.  “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.”  I read that many years ago and wondered, “Hmmm…how can death be precious?”   Now, death is not something here that is suggested to look forward to or to desire, although some over the years have told me that they look forward to death and can’t understand why God wouldn’t go ahead and let them die.  For these they were looking for the reunion in heaven with their loved one gone on before.  My mother told me things like this for two years before she passed.  But for us who are left behind, we abhor death because we are separated from those whom we love.  How can death be precious?