Death? Bring it on!

by Paul E. Grant - April 2010

Published in www.GlobalMissiology.org Jan 2013 

I welcome this transition

We commonly label “death”,

An immediate transformation

By the grace of the Spirit’s breath*

Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit

Combine to welcome me,

There I will stand in the merit

Of Jesus Christ of Calvary

Sudden death is sudden glory,

Instantaneous transfiguration!

Life as we know is transitory,

Heaven is my celebration

That is, a welcome just for me,

Face to face with Christ my Saviour!

Beautifully! Extraordinarily!

Eternity! Heaven! Hallelujah!

So death, where is your sting?1

Where, O grave, is your victory?

Listen now to Bible boasting,

Death was conquered at Calvary!2

Our focus this side of dying

Should be one of preparation,

Engaging in edifying

Ourselves for service, post-resurrection

Life in Christ is a continuum

Heaven for us begins on earth,

Never should it be seen as a vacuum

It has an eternal worth

Death is the unique nano-second

Of transfer to Heaven’s glory,

Why should we fear when beckoned

To our eternal territory?

* “Our people die a good death” (John Wesley).

* “Death is hell and night and cold, if it is not transformed by our faith. But that is just what is so

marvellous, that we can transform death”. (Dietrich Bonhoeffer, London, November 1933).