"Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His saints" (Psalm 116:15).

Ever since Eden, death has been mankind's greatest enemy-an enemy that has never been conquered. We do all we can to prevent it, or at least to put it off, spending billions of dollars annually on health care and research. And yet the normal life span continues to be 70-80 years, just as it was in the days of Moses, 3,500 years ago (Psalm 90:10).

The reason for the universal experience of death, of course, is the universal experience of sin, "Sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death" (James 1:15). However, Christ died for our sins, "that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage" (Hebrews 2:14,15).

Therefore, although death is still the great enemy, those who have been redeemed and forgiven, through faith in Christ, no longer need to fear its “sting,” for “the sting of death is sin,” and “while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (I Corinthians 15:56; Romans 5:8).

Furthermore, those of us who are left behind at the death of a loved one no longer need to be overwhelmed with grief, for we “sorrow not, even as others which have no hope” (I Thessalonians 4:13). We know that “to depart, and to be with Christ . . . is far better” (Philippians 1:23), and that them “which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him” when He comes again (I Thessalonians 4:14).

In the meantime, we can rejoice that, when a true Christian dies, it is the Lord, Himself, who has called him home, and that the death of one of His saints is precious in the sight of the Lord, like recovering a lost gem. “And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels” (Malachi 3:17). HMM