Isaiah 57:1-2New Living Translation (NLT)

57 Good people pass away;
the godly often die before their time.
But no one seems to care or wonder why.
No one seems to understand
that God is protecting them from the evil to come.
2 For those who follow godly paths
will rest in peace when they die.

Death is something we know happens to everyone, but its the one part of life few prepare for. It often comes as a shock even when we know its eminent.

Everyone has had someone die that was close to them. The pain of your heart being ripped out, stomped on, unable to breathe for a second, walking around greeting guests while in a vegetative state becomes almost the norm.
The forced smiles, the decisions that were made that you don’t remember making, the calls you took or didn’t, This is the death of a loved one- at least for me.

I have heard people say the death of a child is the worse pain you can experience. Hmmm, I had a still borne and I lost my Mom; pain the same- no degree of difference.

Wait, before you begin to feel down and tears form in the corners of your eyes, thinking this is a sad devotional-go back and read the scripture again.

GOOD people die, God is protecting them, they REST IN PEACE.

People often struggle with comforting words to say to a grieving family, often times we end up saying ” I am sorry” or ” I know how you feel” but the verse above has brought me comfort within myself.

I never looked at death as protection, mainly because I was wrapped up in my own unstable emotions. My selfish desire to have the deceased with me until forever. God sees it differently, he sees it as resting.

For those grieving, the good die (often young) ;its Gods way of ensuring they wont endure unnecessary evil, they get to rest. Don’t we want the our loved ones to rest? yes, yes we do.

As much as I miss my child, my Mom, my grandparents, my friends and family members- I would want nothing more than to know they are protected and resting- even though it means they had to leave me to do it.