J.R. Miller (1840 – 1912), ‘Morning Thoughts’
And immediately the king sent an executioner,
and commanded his head to be brought:
and he went and beheaded him in the prison…
Mark 6:27
Jesus knows how His followers can best serve Him.
He sent the apostles out to teach and heal. John the Baptist, however, He permitted to be seized, to languish in prison, and to be cruelly beheaded.
Just so, we should be willing to serve our Master in any way He desires. He may want us to give a long life to active usefulness — or He may want us to serve and honor Him by enduring persecution and being murdered.
The life of John seemed to be a failure. He preached only a few months! He was a great preacher, too, and hundreds went to hear him. It seemed to his friends a pitiful waste of life, an irreparable loss to the heavenly kingdom, when he was murdered.
But John’s work was done. He accomplished all that he was sent into the world to do. There really was no reason for his living an hour longer.
When one dies in youth, we are apt to deplore his death as untimely. But God makes no mistakes! ‘Every man is immortal — until his work is done!’
To every thing there is a season,
and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
Ecclesiastes 3:1-2
Seeing his days are determined,
the number of his months are with thee,
thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass;
Job 14:5
And as it is appointed unto men once to die,
but after this the judgment:
Hebrews 9:27
I am he that liveth, and was dead;
and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen;
and have the keys of hell and of death.
Revelation 1:18
A good name is better than precious ointment;
and the day of death than the day of one’s birth.
Ecclesiastes 7:1
You Can Trust Him 
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Sorry, I disagree with that. It’s a different case altogether. John baptized Jesus and his life was complete. John even eludes to when he says he must become smaller. My daughter completed nothing. Her life was just starting. Was her death planned? No. But it was known because time has no meaning to God. God knew that she’d become sick and die from sepsis. It’s the evil of death, not a completion of tasks in life. Hugs.
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I believe if the Lord had any additional assignments for Hans, He would have given him the time needed to complete them. Even an infant or pre-born person accomplishes much in their “short” life, even if just to increase our hunger for our Heavenly home. I know for sure your Amanda accomplished that. I always appreciate your perspective, Roger. Thank you.
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Sorry again. Death was not intended when God created us in the beginning. Death is always untimely.
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Roger, I don’t believe I am qualified to state emphatically what God’s intentions were before He spoke His creation into existence. So I will only say that I believe His intentions are never thwarted and that He has authority over everything, including death.
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How old was your daughter? I lost my son four months ago. Tomorrow is his 20th birthday. I ask God every day to give me some hint as to why he took him. This has been a question for me for 17 months as my husband passed away three days before his 55th birthday, last year.
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My daughter was 20 years old, just two months to the day from being 21. That was 3.5 years ago. My deepest condolences in your double loss. That must be very hard for you. Personally, I don’t believe God takes anyone. It’s Satan who takes them. And also, I don’t think we’ll know why this side of heaven. Hugs.
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Today my son should have been turning 20. This group of us that has lost a child, it is so lonely!! Peace to you.
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Joe’s death was untimely and I couldn’t understand or know why this could have happened. I didn’t know where Joe was or where God was for that matter. Everything that I thought I believed in was shattered. Three years later and I know that Gods promises are yea’s and amen and He only requires me to trust and believe Him. Oftentimes I don’t do to good of a job, but He always keeps my heart. I need to press in more and really seek his face for that’s all that matters. Everyday someone else is passing on and the war around us isn’t imaginable. I need eyes to see and ears to hear more than ever. Thank you for your words of wisdom. They often bring comfort to my soul.
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Amen. Our heart is safe with Him. ❤️
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This is a true statement “Every man is immortal — until his work is done!’”
Thank you.
We are here for His glory and purpose. A Pastor during a funeral said “ we will go home when our room is ready at the Father’s house”.
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I love this:
“But John’s work was done. He accomplished all that he was sent into the world to do.”
God bless!
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