On March 1, 1981, the famous British expositor D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones lay on his deathbed. From 1939 to 1968, he had served as the pastor of London’s Westminster Chapel. Now at the end of his life, Lloyd-Jones had lost the ability to speak. Indicating that he did not want any more prayers for his recovery, he wrote on a piece of paper: “Do not hold me back from glory.” What a picture of “perfect peace!”
The Bible says “The steadfast of mind Thou wilt keep in perfect peace, because he trusts in Thee. The LORD Who keeps you will neither slumber nor sleep. He Himself has said “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you, so that we confidently say, “The Lord is my Helper, I will not be afraid.” “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, nor will the flame burn you. Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me.” Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His godly ones. For the godly who die will rest in peace. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? Thanks be to God, Who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens, for to be absent from the body, is to be present with the Lord. To live is Christ, and to die is gain, for to be with Christ is better by far! (Isa 26:3, Ps 121:3-4, Heb 13:5-6, Isa 43:2, Isa 41:10, Ps 23:4, Ps 116:15, Isa 57:1, 1Co 15:55, 57, 2Co 5:1,8, Php 1:21, 23)
C H Spurgeon said “It is a grand thing to see a man (like Martyn Lloyd-Jones) dying full of life. God makes His dying people to be like the sun, which never seems so large as when it sets.”
And remember that a sunset in one land is a sunrise in another!
The glories of heaven await
All those who believe in God’s Son.
The trials of life will fade
When we see the Heavenly One.
Glorious Day! Oh, Glorious Day!
