It Is Not Death To Die

It is such an honor and responsibility to be trusted with raising our children in discipleship. I am so thankful for the opportunities God has given us to share with Jennifer the truth of the gospel. She has been very open in taking initiative in asking really difficult questions about sin and other things.


Tonight at bedtime I read a Clifford the Big Red Dog book about how he began as the runt, and that the daddy in the story “didn't think that Clifford would live through the winter” which started us talking about our former dog, Goldie, and that she died last year. This was the first time I told her that Goldie had died, and not just “she's gone”. I said that Goldie had gotten very old and her legs and hips were hurting a lot, even though she seemed very happy, death was God's way of making her not hurt anymore.


Jennifer's grandpa jimmy also died last year after a long battle with brain cancer. Jennifer remembers her grandpa being sick, and we were at his house when he died. At the time of his death, I took Jennifer into the front yard and told her that Grandpa Jimmy had gone to be with Jesus. She has remembered this and has mentioned it before when seeing pictures of him or talking about him.


Our conversation tonight turned from talking about dogs dying, to her asking "will i die?"and then a tender conversation during our family pray time about the reality of death and that we dont know when it will happen. i asked her "who knows when we will die?" and she responded “God does.” We talked about how we be with God once we do die, and that we'd see Grandpa Jimmy as well, and about how gloriously beautiful heaven is described in the Bible. I asked her “who loves you more than papa and I do?” and she said “God does” and I reminded her that if he loves her that much, she can know she will be safe here or in heaven. She continued to ask questions like “will you cry when I die?” and “will you and I die at the same place?” And Mike and I continued to remind her that we do not know when it will happen to anybody, but that God will keep us here as long as he wants us to be, and that as we follow God's directions for us, we stay right with the one who knows all our days. She asked us “is Heaven up in the sky?”and we reminded her about the story in her Jesus Bible Storybook when Jesus rose up into Heaven and His disciples were staring into the sky waiting for him, that the angel reminded them to continue about what Jesus had for them to do on earth then, and not just stare up waiting for him. That God has jobs even for her to do in life, like learning the right things to do, and helping other people, and being joyful.


I never would have imagined I'd be having these conversations with my three year old. She seems to grasp these difficult things so very well, and I feel that God is guiding our conversations, so that we have answers that are not confusing to her. I constantly pray that I will continue to trust God in leading us to disciple our little ones.


After tucking her in, I went to the piano and sang this song:
It Is Not Death To Die

VERSE 1 It is not death to die
To leave this weary road
And join the saints who dwell on high
Who’ve found their home with God
It is not death to close
The eyes long dimmed by tears
And wake in joy before Your throne
Delivered from our fears

CHORUS
O Jesus, conquering the grave
Your precious blood has power to save
Those who trust in You
Will in Your mercy find
That it is not death to die

VERSE 2
It is not death to fling
Aside this earthly dust
And rise with strong and noble wing
To live among the just
It is not death to hear
The key unlock the door
That sets us free from mortal years
To praise You evermore

© 2008 Integrity’s Praise! Music/Sovereign Grace Praise (BMI)



link to the sheet music and chords for the song, if you need it:
http://www.sovereigngracemusic.org/Songs/It_Is_Not_Death_to_Die/10

I also found this related blog article, I recommend reading it, too:
http://thepaperthinhymn.com/tag/henri-malan/