Safe In Your Arms

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

John 16:33


Peace with God makes it possible for us to know the peace of God. You can’t have the later without the former and yet just because you have the former doesn’t mean you are enjoying the later. I’ve thought a lot about the peace of God the last day couple of days since my brother in law Tim stepped through the doors of eternity Sunday night after a long and courageous fight against cancer. Some might think cancer won but it didn’t, Jesus did. Death doesn’t have the final say, Jesus does!

My wife was sharing with me the conversation she had with her sister Michelle. Michelle told her that just a few moments before Tim passed away he without provocation raised his arms up from his side much in the same way a child would extend their arms when they wanted to be picked up and held by a parent. Michelle said at the moment it seemed odd since Tim had pretty much lost all his strength and had not raised his arms in days. Just a few minutes after Tim was reaching up towards heaven with outstretched arms Tim breathed his last breath. Convinced now that Tim was just doing what a child of God would naturally do as they step through the threshold from this life into eternity. Tim it seems was simply reaching up into the arms of his Heavenly Father who had come to as the old hymn sings, “coming for to carry me home.”

What a beautiful picture of peace and comfort in what would otherwise be considered the darkest moment of our human existence. For Tim, his passing was peaceful as he closed his eyes and rested safely in the arms of God. That’s what the peace of God looks like in real life. Tim had already made peace with God confessing he was a sinner in need of a Savior and there in that moment his family who were gathered by his bedside got to see with their own eyes what the peace of God provides. No fears, no worries, just the love and comfort of being held, of being home at last.


In case you are wondering, making peace with God is made possible by accepting God’s only sacrifice for our sins that have separated us from God in the first place. Jesus came to give His life as payment for those who would place their hope and trust in Him. Making peace with God through Christ Jesus ushers in the peace of God knowing that death no longer needs to be feared because Jesus Christ defeated both sin and death the Bible teaches. Like I said, death no longer gets the last word, Jesus does and knowing Jesus as your personal Savior brings peace to our heart and soul, even in the face of death. Don’t take my word for it, read one of the greatest examples in the entire bible.

You recall the story in John chapter 11 where Jesus was speaking to a heartbroken Martha after her brother Lazarus got sick and died and she was openly saddened and disappointed by the fact that Jesus had not gotten there sooner and healed him because now it was too late as her brother was dead. Her belief was like many of us. She thought death had the final word. Or so she thought any way. Jesus told Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” Don’t miss that last sentence. Jesus wanted to know.

Jesus challenged Martha’s faith with truth. He didn’t just declare a truth, Jesus asked her point blank if she herself believed what He had just said about being the resurrection and the life. The point being, if what Jesus was speaking to her was true that would be good news for Martha and her sister as their brother had just died. If what Jesus said was true Mary and Martha could go to the tomb of their brother and see for themselves. They did just that and as they stood watching, Jesus uttered three words, “Lazarus come forth” and no sooner had he spoken the words as the stone in front of the tomb was rolled away, out came Lazarus, hoping out of the grave still wrapped in burial cloth. Jesus instructed some there to “loose him” and to let him go. Can you imagine the jubilation they must have felt as the strips of cloth were removed and they saw their brother’s face alive and well? To think just minutes before they were crying, suffering life’s greatest loss, the death of someone you love, and now cheering as they were overcome with unspeakable joy that this one who was dead was alive again. Talk about the peace of God.

Yes, friends, Tim is no longer here with us but the word of God tells us exactly where he is, safe and sound. The Bible says Tim is present with the Lord, more alive today than he ever was here on earth as the apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15, “For this corruption must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.” The body that was overcome by cancer has now been overcome by the power of God’s love. Because Tim made peace with God he is enjoying like never before the peace of God. My hope and prayer for Tim’s family and friends today is that each and every one of them would follow Tim’s lead. It’s as easy as reaching up to God and saying, “Hold me daddy, hold me” as you believe in faith trusting in the salvation only Jesus Christ provides.


“But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”

Romans 10:8-13


I LOVE YOU!