Death Stinks! Real Life & Real Death
Resting in God's Love in the Valley of the Shadow
It’s happened again. In January, my mother, 94, went to be with Jesus. She was still mentally sharp and physically declining, but still functioning pretty well – then her oxygen plummeted. She proceeded to the hospital, and in 60 hours, she was gone. Turns out she never fully recovered from her 3rd bout of pneumonia. Her body was just ready to stop. She took her last breath and joyfully stepped into the arms of Jesus.
She took her last breath and joyfully stepped into the arms of Jesus.
Now I’m writing in Amarillo, Texas. My wife, Kristi’s father, Jim Peggram, died at 2:30 a.m. on 4-29-25. He was just about 2 months shy of 94. What a blessing to have parents with us for 94 years!
Jim was doing pretty well, too. Like mom, he was mentally sharp but physically declining. He still active enough, though, that a couple of weeks ago, he pulled himself up on his tractor at his farm at Quail, Texas. His upper body strength was still amazing. He was a tough West Texas cowboy, one of the most determined people I ever knew.
Death stinks!
In the end, severe infections and organ failure took them both. The end came and it was hard. Death stinks!
Since my family is in the Valley of the Shadow, I want to explore Resting in God’s Love in Death. Is that really possible? Absolutely! It’s not only possible, it’s essential, but do I have the the right focus, foundation, and future.
In the vernacular of today’s younger generation, death sucks. I didn’t grow up using that word in that way. It wouldn’t have been proper, so I won’t use it now (oops, I just did). Maybe death sucks shocks us enough to stop in our tracks consider the terrible reality that death is.
Death stops. Death steals. Death changes reality. Death wounds. Death reveals cracks and ruptures. Death stings (and sucks!). Need I go on?
Death is certainly something we would rather avoid and ignore, but death doesn’t give a damn (oops!) about our hope or dreams, our fears, worries, or tears. Death is coming. It’s our enemy – it steals, kills, and destroys. As an unavoidable reality, what do we do with it?
Is there Good News?
Yes, I realize that’s a lot of bad news, but there’s One who conquered death. The Lord Jesus Christ takes away my fears and tears. I will focus on Jesus, the one who conquered the grave.
When I focus on Jesus, my heart is calmed even in the storm or the valley of the shadow of death.
Why? I’m in His hand and in the Father’s hand. Death cannot permanently touch me. I am held in His grip . . . and His grip is trustworthy!
I am held in His grip . . . and His grip is trustworthy!
I focus on the promises of His word. He promises the fires will not consume me nor the waves overwhelm me. He loves me with His steadfast, everlasting, unending, covenant love. In Him and in that love I will rest secure.
Jesus said to her (Mary), “I am the resurrection and the life . . . Everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26) Yes, I believe it!
Your relationship with Christ as His Beloved is foundational.
My relationship with Christ as His Beloved is foundational to my life and resting in His love. I’m building my life on the Rock, not the sand.
Paul said, “For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.” My foundation is not my good works, my service as a pastor and missionary, or my seminary degrees. I’m not good enough, but that’s ok . . . because there is One who is!
I love the song sung by Megan Woods, The Truth. One powerful line says,
“The truth is I am truly loved by the God who’s Good when I’m not good enough. I don’t belong to the lies, I belong to you - and that’s THE TRUTH!”
The Truth – Jesus – has set me free from the bondage of sin and death!
Is your future secure?
Resting in God’s love in the Valley of the Shadow also has a future focus. Can you imagine facing death without the assurance of the resurrection? Many face it in fear, insecurity, and hopelessness every day, but I don’t. My true home is in heaven. My mom and dad and Kristi’s mom and dad are waiting on us there.
Relax in and even bathe in, and wallow around in, these truths:
16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.(2 Corinthians 4:16-18)
Paul had his eyes not on the afflictions or pending death. His eyes were on the eternal weight of glory and the things which are eternal. That’s my focus, too.
Look for both the present reality and the future focus of these verses:
17 Though the fig tree does not bud and there is no fruit on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though the flocks disappear from the pen and there are no herds in the stalls, 18 yet I will celebrate in the Lord; I will rejoice in the God of my salvation! 19 The Lord my Lord is my strength. (Habakkuk 3:17-19)
Habakkuk’s present reality: There were no figs, grapes, or olives. The sheep and cows had disappeared! Yet, his future foundational truth declared: I will celebrate, I will rejoice because The Lord is my strength. Because Habakkuk was secure in the Lord (and his Belovedness), his future and present were secure. Never take your eyes off Jesus.
I will celebrate, I will rejoice because The Lord is my strength.
Donald Gray Barnhouse, great pastor in Phildelphia for 33 years, lost his wife Ruth to cancer in 1944 after 22 years of marriage. The day of the funeral he was in the car alone with his youngest daughter who was very distraught over the death of her mother. Barnhouse pleaded with the Lord to give him a word of comfort for his daughter. Almost at that moment a large tractor-trailer truck passed them and the shadow of the truck engulfed their car. Barnhouse asked his daughter, “By which would you rather be run over, the truck or it’s shadow?” She replied, “Oh, daddy, the shadow of course!” He said, “Today we walk through the valley of the shadow of death. Death is not the end, it’s just a shadow. We will see your mother again.”
Vance Havner, great preacher with astounding wit and insight was comforted by a genuine, well-meaning friend in “the loss of his wife.”
Vance Havner replied gently, “You haven’t lost something when you know its location.”
We know where my mother and Kristi’s father are today. They are not lost out there somewhere – they are truly found and loved today.
Do you know that you know that you know?
Often we hear the truism that “You’re either in a storm, coming out of a storm, or about to go into a storm.” Storms and death are coming. Are you ready?
If you don’t know Jesus or have doubts about your relationship with Him, let’s talk in the comments. Life’s too short to be insecure about this most important relationship.
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This resonates as I just recently lost a friend. Thanks for sharing! I think the whole storm analogy is a bit of a discouraging light or perspective. Life, especially life as children of God, I think it's so much more than that. Maybe that's just me.
I won't say I doubt God in any way really. One thing I sometimes think of is other people. For example, if I'm praying for xyz but I see someone else who may be a believer and maybe even stronger in the faith than me, suffering without xyz or seemingly not getting their prayers answered. It makes me feel like God can't possibly answer mine. It also makes me wonder sometimes why God won't answer theirs.
I do understand that every thing works out for our good and we are on different journeys, but it's something I think about sometimes.
Sorry this is so long 😅