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Perspective on the Afterlife |
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 "For us who love the Lord, death is our relief, release, graduation and passing on to a better realm." |
David loved life and embraced it to the full.
He wrote: "Learning, learning, learning -- it never ends! I love it! I always want more! Every new person I talk to fascinates me! Every new land I live in intrigues me! Every new language I learn greatly interests me, and every new task I begin totally absorbs me! I love this life, both in the flesh and in the Spirit!" [175] However, as with all true Christians, he fully realized that this Earth was not his final home, but he was, as Saint Paul said, a "pilgrim and a stranger." So while he enjoyed life, he also looked forward to the time that his earthly course would be finished, and he would be called home to his Heavenly reward. He often discussed what death meant, both for Christians as a whole and for himself personally. "For us who love the Lord, death is our relief, release, freedom, promotion, graduation and passing on to a better realm, the next step, the next grade! Our spirits are immediately freed to go to be with the Lord, so it's not really death for us in the same way it is for those who aren't saved. We don't die in the sense that they die. "That's why I don't even like to call it 'dying' or 'death!' I prefer to call it graduation, passing on, or promotion. It's our graduation! -- And just like [people] celebrate when someone graduates from school or college, so we should rejoice when someone we love graduates from this old life. They've finished their schooling in this earthly grade and are passing on to the next grade! -- The Heavenly grade! "So I don't even like that word 'die' because Jesus Himself said we don't really die! It's not death, we don't die! The Lord said it! 'Whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die!' (John 11:26). In other words, if you're really alive in the Spirit, 'He that liveth and believeth in Me shall never die!' And the Lord also says, 'If a man keep My saying, he shall never see death' (John 8:51). "The minute I die, beloved, that is my promotion! For a Christian, I believe it's the happiest event in your whole life! -- The end! Finito! -- At last, out of this fleshly, carnal body with all of its woes and aches and pains and troubles and problems and weariness and sickness and disease and concerns, problems, hard work and suffering! It's all over! "I think for a Christian, the time of death should be a happy time. You should have rejoicing, sing happy songs, be happy, amen? Please, talk about the good things, and praise and thank God that I once lived, and that I still live!… "So when it happens, please don't cry for me. Of course, I wouldn't blame those of you who've lived with me all these years if you wept a little bit because I'm gone and I'm not with you personally in body any more. But who knows? -- Maybe you'd get more on the ball if I'd get behind you spiritually and haunt you a little bit! Ha! … "And just think, I'll never be sick again! I won't hurt anymore, I won't have any more troubles! That's the best healing of all! When you die, that's the final healing! -- Permanent healing forever!" [176] |
