Recently, a godly wife, mother, and servant in our church, Kathy Bowers, finished the race and went home to be with her Savior. More than 500 people gathered to remember how God had been glorified in her life, and now through her death, after a long bout with cancer. Although death seems to have won at this time, death does not have the last word for those who belong to Jesus Christ. At the beginning of the memorial service, I had the opportunity to sing this song. I adapted it from a poem by George Bethune.
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
O Jesus, King of grace
You bore the cross in our place
Though we suffer for a time
We will reign with you on high
And it is not death to die.
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 temporal years to praise you evermore.
O Jesus, King of grace
You bore the cross in our place
Though we suffer for a time
We will reign with you on high
And it is not death to die.
Copyright 2006 Sovereign Grace Praise.
May each of us who know the Savior live with the confident joy that this life is only the beginning of a better life yet to come, gained for us through the glorious redeeming work of Jesus.
