Before one becomes very old there comes the startling realization that one day you will die. Death is the universal enemy of humankind. Although life has been extended through medicine, all eventually die. Death is always decisive. It holds the only perfect winning record.

But for the Christian, death loses some of its sting. It loses the sting of finality and eternal separation from loved ones. There is no sadness for us who die in the Lord. It is replaced by a wonderful, eternal life with God. There is only sadness for those who remain, for when someone loves, then loses, they grieve because they first loved.

Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection is still the most important news for humankind. With the empty tomb, death was put to death. Jesus now gives each of us the possibility of an eternal lease on life. We simply must claim his promises for our lives.

I like to think of life as a long hallway with a door at each end. We have all gone through the first door called birth. Someday we will all pass through the second called death. For each of us the hallway is a different length. For some it is very short: three years, ten years, twenty-one years. For others somewhat longer: thirty-three, forty-seven, fifty-eight years. Still others, rather long: sixty-six, seventy-eight, ninety years. The length of the hallways is not as important as what happens in our lives.

As we meet and know Christ in the hallway of life, he has promised to know us in death. Then as we pass through that second door we are assured of his company. Jesus goes with us and takes us to the celebration of the saved in the Father’s house.

For those who die in the Lord, death is never a funeral march to the grave but a triumphant march to the throne of God.