GPP 86: When Dying Is Gain

To those persons who in Jesus believe,
A most comforting promise has been made—
All their dead bodies will the Lord retrieve,
Formed new, undying, and to Him conveyed!
They’ll join Him in the clouds*, never to part;
With joy and perfect peace, they unfazed face
Great perils in this world—sword, fire and dart—
That others marvel they die with such grace!
Precious to the Lord are deaths of His saints**,
Leaving this vale of tears with happy smiles;
From their lips bystanders hear no complaints,
Even toward him whose own hand defiles!
To die in Christ is of far greater worth,
Than to live on Satan’s perverted earth!

*1 Thessalonians 4:17
**Philippians 1:21

Promise Made: 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 (Paul writes)—“For the Lord himself will come from heaven, with a loud command with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.” (NIV)

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

“That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)