Yesterday, I wrote about thinking about death.
Today I offer some quotations from others who have spoken biblically and wisely about death:
“The question is not whether we will die, but whether we will die in a way that bears much fruit.” (John Piper, Filling up the Afflictions of Christ)
“Death is a threat to the degree that it frustrates your main goals. Death is fearful to the degree that it threatens to rob you of what you treasure most. But Paul treasured Christ most [Phil. 1:21], and his goal was to magnify Christ. And he saw death not as a frustration of that goal but as an occasion for its fulfillment.” (John Piper, Don’t Waste Your Life)
“Christians claim to believe that heaven—being present with God—is so wonderful, and yet act as if going there were the greatest tragedy.” (Joseph Bayly)
“In case of the loss of dear friends, a wife, or child, or husband, let us rest satisfied in God’s wisdom. God takes away these, because he would have more of our love; he breaks these crutches, that we may live more upon him by faith. God would have us learn to go without crutches.” (Thomas Watson, A Body of Divinity)
“Even in the best of health we should have death always before our eyes [so that] we will not expect to remain on this earth forever, but will have one foot in the air, so to speak.” (Martin Luther)
“You have been asked to take notice of the sayings of dying men — this is mine: that a life spent in the service of God and communion with Him, is the most pleasant life that anyone can live in this world.” (Matthew Henry)
“Meditation on death would pull down the plumes of pride. You are but animated dust. Shall dust and ashes be proud? Your body will be turned into grass, and shall shortly be mowed down.” (Thomas Watson, The Christian on the Mount)
“When a man of God dies, nothing of God dies. The man of God has passed on, but the God of the man is ever-present among us, worthy of our worship, waiting to be adored, loving our service.” (A. W. Tozer)
“As the leaders of the former generation die, it is all the more urgent for those of us in the next generation to step forward, bravely to take their place.” (John Stott)
“It has become conventional to think as if we are all going to live in this world forever and to view every case of bereavement as a reason for doubting the goodness of God.” (J.I. Packer)
Words of Grace 