Psalm 16:10; 49:15

But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead; he will surely take me to himself ~ Psalm 49:15

...Because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay ~ Psalm 16:10

John, the beloved disciple, recalled these words after Jesus had risen from the dead (2:22). Jesus himself had placed his hope in the prophetic words written. As he prayed in the garden before he was arrested, he prayed so earnestly he sweat drops of blood. Scripture tells us he could have called down the angels to change his course, but instead he went through with what the Father had planned. Would he have done so if he had not had the hope that he would again see life, and the victory of death would be overcome by him? Without the resurrection of Christ there would be no Christian belief. He would have been another man in another grave. Joseph of Arimathea would have had no grave for himself, for it would have been occupied already! But it was not - it was again an empty grave! This is a promise to us as well. If Christ should not see death and decay be the victor, we have the hope and promise of our soul, that we should not see death and decay in our spirit. We who believe in Christ as our Saviour shall live again, forever and ever. Our body will fail, yes, it will rest in a grave, but not our soul. It will rise as Christ's rose, and we will be with Him in the heavenly realm.

"Since Jesus is mine, I will not fear undressing,

But gladly put off these garments of clay;

To die in the Lord is a covenant blessing,

Since Jesus to glory through death led the way."

Devotion by Pastor Julia