It seems that all days are running together as of late, and that there is no news at all, save the news of an ever rising global death toll. The world fears death; yet we who are within Him who is the resurrection and the life have no dread of death. Yet, it is no bad thing when death is before us to contemplate what awaits us when our deaths inevitably come in a godly manner.

Johann Gerhard, the author of the magisterial and massive Lutheran dogmatics set entitled The Theological Commonplaces, also wrote short meditations on Christ and the Christian life. He had this to say about the Beatific Vision, that glory which we shall enter into at the end of our days:

“O longed-for life! O the unspeakable blessedness of that time, when the Adorable Trinity shall be the completion of all our desires, whom we shall forevermore behold, whom we shall never cease to love, and whom we shall unweariedly praise through endless ages. To see God–ah! that will surpass all the joys of earth. To gaze upon the face of Christ, to live with Christ, to hear the voice of Christ, will far exceed even the most ardent desires of our hearts. O Lord Jesus, Thou most blessed Spouse of my soul, when wilt Thou bring my soul into Thy holy palace as thine honored bride? […] Oh, that will be as beauty to my sight, honey to my taste, music to my ear, balm to my nostrils, and a flower to my touch.”

Who then, who is baptized into Christ, shall fear death, which, by Our Lord’s glorious Resurrection, has become but a flower to the touch?

Pastor Fields