Death Be Not Proud

John Donne, the English poet, wrote of the core hope of our Christian faith. In language typical of the time (1600) he reminds us that death is a defeated foe. I borrow his words to comfort my heart and renew my mind in hope today.


Death be not proud, though some have called thee
Mighty and dreadfull, for, thou art not soe,
For, those, whom thou think'st, thou dost overthrow,
Die not, poore death, nor yet canst thou kill mee.
From rest and sleepe, which but thy pictures bee,
Much pleasure, then from thee, much more must flow,
And soonest our best men with thee doe goe,
Rest of their bones, and soules deliverie.
Thou art slave to Fate, Chance, kings, and desperate men,
And dost with poyson, warre, and sicknesse dwell,
And poppie, or charmes can make us sleepe as well,
And better then thy stroake; why swell'st thou then?
One short sleepe past, wee wake eternally,
And death shall be no more; death, thou shalt die.

The prose of the Word is clear that death will not triumph, though it roars in our faces.

"But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.

For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.

But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.

Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power.

For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.

The last enemy to be destroyed is death." (1 Corinthians 15:20-26, NIV)

_______________


Come, Lord Jesus and make me strong today.
Give me eyes that can see over the edge of time into eternity.
Help me, with that full assurance, to defeat despair, to stand steady in faith,
to invest my life in those things that will be true treasures in your House.

Amen.