Death puts an end to all changes
(Thomas Brooks, "A Believer's Last Day, His Best Day")
"I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better
by far!" Philippians 1:23
A believer's last day is his best day! Death puts an
end to all changes. What is the whole life of a man
— but a life of changes?
Here on earth, you often change . . .
your joy for sorrow,
your health for sickness,
your strength for weakness,
your honor for dishonor,
your plenty for poverty,
your beauty for deformity,
your friends for foes,
your gold for copper.
All temporal things are transitory. Man himself —
what is he — but a mere nothing — the dream of
a dream, a shadow, a bubble, a flash, a puff!
Now the comforts of a man are smiling
— but the next hour they are dying.
Now the Lord smiles upon the soul — and
at another time He frowns upon the soul.
Now God gives assistance to conquer sin — but
before long the man is carried captive by his sin.
Now he is strengthened against the temptation,
in a short while he falls before the temptation, etc.
But death puts an end to all changes. Now the
soul shall be tempted no more, sin no more, be
foiled no more. Now you may judge by this,
that a Christian's dying-day is his best day.
"And so we will be with the Lord forever!"
1 Thessalonians 4:17