Another Day...
Whether it’s in the untimely ending of a life barely
begun; or at the funeral of a beloved husband and father ‘gone-too-soon’; or at
the bedside of a mother desperately clinging to life through years of suffering
– we feel the pain of our mortality, the curse of death.
As much as I have appreciated travelling alongside
McKinley through Jesus’ final day on earth, it is what happens after that day
which caps the journey.
The empty tomb is the ‘reset’ button of my life -
and the life of every believer. The
‘death of death’ is our only hope, our only comfort and our only joy when mortality
looms.
Because Jesus rose from the dead, we can cry out
with the apostle Paul,
“O death, where is your
victory? O death, where is your sting?”
1 Corinthians 15:55
The last chapter of ‘Passion’ is fittingly called ‘Another Day’.
But because
of the resurrection, Jesus’ final day wasn’t really His final day. Jesus has no final day – there is always
another to enjoy. And for those of us
who are trusting in Him, our death isn’t our last day either! (p.147)
I
first heard this hymn at the funeral of a dear brother in Christ. It remains a favourite of mine – the words of
the chorus particularly sweet. Jesus’
resurrection is why this hymn is our song.
It
is not death to die
To
leave this weary road
And
join the saints who dwell on high
Who’ve
found their home with God
It
is not death to close
The
eyes long dimmed by tears
And
wake in joy before Your throne
Delivered
from our fears
CHORUS
O
Jesus, conquering the grave
Your
precious blood has power to save
Those
who trust in You
Will
in Your mercy find
That
it is not death to die
It
is not death to fling
Aside
this earthly dust
And
rise with strong and noble wing
To
live among the just
It
is not death to hear
The
key unlock the door
That
sets us free from mortal years
To praise You evermore
CHORUS
O
Jesus, conquering the grave
Your
precious blood has power to save
Those
who trust in You
Will
in Your mercy find
That
it is not death to die
Original words by H. A. César Malan, 1832 (Non, ce n’est pas
mourir que d’aller vers son Dieu).
Additional words and melody by Bob Kauflin, 2008