by Thomas Brooks

“For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” –Phil. 1:21

Look upon your dying day as a gainful day. There is no gain compared to that which comes in by death. A Christian gets more by death than he does by life. To be in Christ is very good‚ but to be with Christ is best of all. “I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far!” (Phil. 1:23). It was a mighty blessing for Christ to be with Paul on earth‚ but it was the top of blessings for Paul to be with Christ in heaven! Seriously consider these things.

By death you shall gain incomparable crowns!

• A crown of life, Rev. 2:10; James 1:12; 
• A crown of righteousness, 2 Tim. 4:8;
• An incorruptible crown, 1 Cor. 9:24-25; 
• A crown of glory, 1 Pet. 5:4. 

There are no crowns compared to these crowns!

By death you shall gain a glorious kingdom! “It is your Father’s pleasure to give you a kingdom!” We must put off our rags of mortality‚ that we may put on our robes of glory. There is no entering into paradise‚ but under the flaming sword of this angel, death‚ who stands at the gate. Death is the dirty lane through which the saint passes to a great, glorious, peaceful, unshaken, durable, everlasting kingdom.

Death is the dark, short way, through which the saints pass to the marriage-supper of the Lamb!

Adapted from Thomas Brooks’‚ A Word in Season for Suffering Saints .