The Dan Bennett Family

We are back in Brazil!

Dan Bennett — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 14:22:45 +0000

06 December 2011

Dear family and friends,

First of all, on behalf of our entire family, we would like to say a great big “THANK YOU” from the bottom of our hearts for your fervent prayers for us in regards to our “journey” to Brazil. It was truly an adventure! I will go back and reminisce a few days before our trip began on Monday.

Sunday was our last time at our home church before leaving for our third term in Brazil, so our pastor asked our family to stand in front of the pulpit after the morning service for the church people to come and tell us “good-bye.” We appreciated all the kind words, sweet remarks, hugs, kisses, and tears that were shed for us, and with us. We truly love our church! We will miss you all, and we would love to hear from you all from time to time.

On Monday morning, we had tremendous help as the Stockman’s, Bro. Donough, the Tyree’s, and Pastor & Mrs. Walters came to assist with packing and transporting our luggage to the airport. As Brother Branton Blair would say, “My, my, my,” did we have luggage! When we finished packing as much as we could, we had 22 large duffle bags as “checked luggage”, and a hodge-podge of “carry-on” luggage, complete with a stroller, car seat, and a booster seat. The internet said that our limit was 70 pounds per bag, so most of our bags were right at 69-70 lbs. However, when we got to the counter, the lady said that the limit was 50 lbs. Heather, my nephew’s wife, who helped us get our “stand-by” tickets told us that they had to honor what the internet said, and the internet said 70 lbs. for Brazil. After a mild “discussion”, she went and asked somebody, or perhaps went to the Delta website, came back and told us what we already knew, that we were indeed allowed 70 lbs. per bag. After all that was settled, we still had to pay for excessive baggage, but they were kind enough to take off $75.00 for one bag they discounted.

After we got checked in, we gathered in a circle as Russell Stockman led us in prayer. We then hugged and kissed and cried some more, and then headed toward security.

Well, we got back to our gate, and then we waited to be called to board our 12:45pm flight. That call never came since the plane was full. After we were informed of that, we continued to wait for the next available flight. The lady at the Delta counter told us that she would transfer us to the next flight, which would be at 2:15pm. In the end, she must have forgotten to do that because our names were not transferred to that flight.

The next lady was most helpful as she transferred us to a sure flight – one that was practically empty. The plane had to have a tire replaced, and then it was discovered that it needed to refill its’oxygen supply. The tire missed its’ first flight from Atlanta to Charlotte, and then when it did come, the mechanic tightened the lug-nut too much, and broke the nut. Anyway, people were changing flights like crazy, and since the plane that we were going to get on was delayed since 11:15am, the flight crew was also waiting there with us. We got to meet them, and even were able to meet the pilot and co-pilot, and then sit in the cockpit and take pictures. Thankfully, we finally got on the plane, and our family made up about half of the passengers. They treated us like royalty. We sure were glad when we got to Atlanta. We were even told in Charlotte that there were eleven seats open on the flight from Atlanta to São Paulo, and only four people ahead of us. That was good news!

When we arrived in Atlanta, we went to our gate to wait to be called. The lady at this counter was also having a bad day, apparently. As the people began to board the plane, we noticed that there were a multitude of people waiting to get on this flight. As all of the regular passengers were boarded, they began to call the names of those passengers flying on stand-by. As the four people ahead of us were called, I was ready to jump up and run to the counter as they called the next person, but it was not my name, nor anyone in my family. Another was called, then another, and still even more people. There were around ten people that were called ahead of us, and they were announcing over the intercom, “Last call”. I sat and prayed, and at last, they called us. It was a miracle from the Lord for sure as we got the last seven seats on the plane, and five of then were together! I sent a quick text to my father-in-law that we all got on the flight. As I sat down between two businessmen, they told us to turn off all electronic devices, and Pastor Walters responded to my text with one word: Glory!

We had a good flight, and we were sure glad to see missionary Terry Broyles at the airport with two of his men from the church. When we arrived at our temporary “home”, we we thrilled to see that they had gotten some of our furniture out of storage, and even had the bunk beds set up, along with our kitchen cabintes, bookcases, refrigerator, table and chairs, etc. We felt like we were “home”.

We were able to organize some things this afternoon, and even get our bed made. Wendy Broyles brought lunch to us, and Gisélia, a lady from the church, brought supper to us. Gisélia also had gotten our sheets out of storage, took them home and washed them, and we are now going to sleep in our own beds, on our own sheets. Can’t wait!

Wednesday will be a busy day as we continue to try and get more of our stuff out of storage that we need, like silverware. We are planning to go to the church here in Jundiaí tomorrow night, and the rest of the week will be spent in setting up our home.

A special “thank-you” goes to Stan and Judy Kemp for allowing us to use their van the entire time we were in the states. They saved us a tremendous amount of money, and for their generosity, love and freindship, we will be eternally grateful. God bless you both!

Again, thank you all so much for your prayers for us. We truly believe that we all made it on that flight to Brasil because so many of you were praying for us. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Please keep Deborah and Matthew in your prayers. Matthew misses his friends, “so, so much”, and Deborah is terrified of a roach she saw in her bedroom.

We send our love to all that made our furlough special. God bless each and every one of you!

Please keep in touch. We would love to hear from you all from time to time.

Your representatives in Brazil,

Dan & Becky Bennett & family

Prayer Request

Dan Bennett — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 17:34:20 +0000

Please pray with us that we will hear from the Brazilian Consulate today regarding Christine’s visa. We are planning on leaving for Brazil in just two weeks from today. It sure would be nice if we could all go together. If her visa does not come in before December 5, I will have to stay behind with Chrissy until it does come, while Becky takes the other four children on to Brazil. I would rather that our family not be split up like that as we leave for our third term in Brazil. I know that God is in control, but your prayers sure would be appreciated.

October Prayer Letter

Dan Bennett — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 15:32:25 +0000

Dear Faithful Partners in Prayer and Support,
We want to express our heartfelt gratitude to you for your faithfulness to God, to us, and to our ministry.
In 1994, God called Becky and me to be missionaries to the deaf in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Sao Paulo, a city of 23 million people, has between 45,000 – 80,000 Deaf! In our first term, we had the privilege of working with Dan’s brother in the Bible Baptist Church for the Deaf of São Paulo. God raised this church up to be a Gospel Lighthouse to the deaf in that region.
God brought to the deaf church a few hearing families from a neighboring city. Although it was not our original intention, God led us to start a hearing church in Osasco during our second term. On October 1, 2004, the Bible Baptist Church in Osasco held her first service. We saw souls saved, people baptized and discipled, and we even began to support five missionary families through Faith Promise giving. We praise the Lord for using us to start a fundamental Baptist church in Osasco.

From the beginning, our goal and prayer was to turn the church over to a national pastor. After we had started the congregation in Osasco, we noticed another fundamental Baptist, national pastor, Pastor Eutálio, also pastoring a work nearby. In God’s wisdom and goodness, He has led us to join our two churches together under Pastor Eutálio. This pastor, married with two grown children, has fourteen years of ministry experience. He said he was humbled, yet excited about serving our church people as well.

Recently Becky and I were both praying for God’s direction regarding our future ministry. We were willing to change fields if God were to so lead, although we were hoping that He would not take us out of Brazil. Several options were open to us and several were offered to us as well. As we prayed, God began to show us that He wanted us to return to working full time with the Deaf, as was our plan before going to Brazil. God in His wisdom and sovereignty, however, knew we needed the Portuguese language and Brazilian culture if we were to be effective with the Deaf and productive in preaching and teaching the Bible to the Deaf.
The Bible Baptist Church for the Deaf in São Paulo has a national pastor. As I mentioned in the beginning of this letter, there are many thousands of deaf people in the metropolitan São Paulo area that are still unreached with the Gospel. We plan to work together with the Brazilian pastor specifically in the areas of evangelism and discipleship. With two of us working together, we will be able to have a larger outreach and a greater impact among the deaf. We are excited about going back into the deaf ministry to re-seed the Gospel in an extremely needy harvest field, the city of São Paulo. We are now planning to return to Brazil on December 1, 2011. Our support level has reached 90%. Please pray that God will raise the additional 10% that is needed.
On the home front, Rachel and Joseph have adjusted and are doing very well at West Coast Baptist College. They have made some good friends, and God is working in their lives even more so than we could have ever imagined. Our other five children are excited about returning to Brazil. Please pray for them all.
We are grateful to our BIMI colleagues, Garry and Pam Tyler, for filling in for us at the Bible Baptist Church in Osasco so that we could take a much-needed furlough. They have sacrificed their time, energy, and finances in going to Osasco three and four times each week – over an hour each way – to teach, preach, make visits, and serve. They have had a busy schedule, being actively involved in our church, as well as in another church, a Bible institute, and two mission boards. It is an honor and a privilege to work with such wonderful missionaries!
Many have told us, “I pray for your family every day.” We are grateful for your prayers and for those that have faithfully supported us financially throughout the years. Keep on praying, going, and giving until the Lord returns. Perhaps today!

That all may “hear,”

Dan & Becky Bennett, and family

May 1, 2011 Update

Dan Bennett — Wed, 04 May 2011 02:45:48 +0000

Thank you so much for your prayers for us, and for the church situation in Brazil. I went to Brazil in March, and the Lord opened up a door for us to rent another building in the close vicinity of our previous location. It is also more reasonable that where we previously were, allowing us to save more money. We did not come up with enough money to buy a piece of property, but we have received a little more than $9,000.00 in special offerings. We have put this money in savings now, and will continue to pray and ask the Lord to provide the necessary funds to be able to purchase in the future.

There is an empty lot directly across the street from our new location, and while it is not on the market yet, I believe it would be ideal if we could purchase that, and then build according to the needs and future growth of the church. God could put it on the market when we need it to be, if it is His will. We will see what He is going to do.

I received an e-mail a few days ago from the missionary that is taking our place in Brazil, and he said that they had a good number in Sunday’s services, with first-time visitors in both services. Praise the Lord!

We greatly appreciate your interest in the ministry, and we would certainly appreciate your prayers. God bless!

February 2011 Newsletter

Dan Bennett — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 18:33:01 +0000

February 24, 2011

Dear Co-laborers in the ministry,

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Proverbs 3:5, 6
These verses are often quoted too quickly, and sometimes, even nonchalantly. The principles taught in these verses are forgotten because of mere familiarity. Do we really trust the Lord with ALL of our heart? Don’t we all too often lean on our own understanding? Do we acknowledge Him in ALL of our ways, allowing Him to direct our paths? I think most of us could be convicted from time to time after reading these verses. When all seems to be going well, WHAM!, we are hit with a difficult situation, and thankfully, we can run to the Lord in our time of need.
After six and a half years of renting a building for our church in Osasco, the owner has raised the rent to an outrageous price, causing us to have to relocate the church. For this reason, I (Dan) will be going to Brazil in March to try and decide where to relocate, and then sign the contract. It is our desire to be able to buy a piece of property, preferably with a building that we can utilize in which to hold services. As you know, the rent money that we have paid out for the last six and a half years is history, and that is the reason we would like to buy instead of rent.
While this has been sudden, the Lord was not taken by surprise. When we first heard of the rent going up, honestly, we were a bit discouraged. However, as we look to the Lord, we have been encouraged at the possibilities of buying a piece of property in the close proximity of our present location. We are excited about reaching some new people, and building up the church when we return to Brazil.
We have saved some money toward the purchase of a building, but what we currently have is not even enough for a down-payment. I have expressed our need to some pastors, and have even begun to receive money toward the purchase of property. While we are trusting the Lord to supply the needed funds, we would also like to give you the opportunity to get in on the action, possibly with a one-time special offering for us to be able to buy something. The owner of the building of our present location has given us until March 31 to be out of the building. Because of that, we are needing to do something quickly, hence, my upcoming trip to Brazil, March 17-28. We ask that you prayerfully consider this as a special missions project as we continue reaching more Brazilians in the city of Osasco with the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ. Please send your gift to BIMI, with a note marked “Dan Bennett – Property”.
From a human perspective, it will be a miracle for all this to be done in the eleven days that I will be there, but God is able! Please make this a matter of prayer as well, that all will be accomplished in a short period of time. When this happens, we will surely be able to say that God worked a miracle.
We are also thrilled about a young couple that is on deputation, John and Hannah Speights. Thay have 74% of their needed support and are planning on going to Brazil to help us in the work. We are excited about the Speights family teaming up with us for our next term. Please remember them in your prayers as they finish raising their support to get to Brazil before the end of the year.
We are so thankful for a new church in Texas that has recently begun to support us. We are also excited about some promised support from a church in Ohio, as well as a desire to begin supporting us soon from a church in the Chicago area. Please continue to pray with us that our support would continue to increase and that we could get back to Brazil as soon as possible.
I praise the Lord that we were able to spend time with my father in Trenton, GA, on his 80th birthday. He pastored for many years before his retirement, and has had a tremendous influence in my life. As long as I can remember, my dad has had a great love for missionaries. Giving honor, to whom honor is due, I honor my father, Rev. William (Bill) Edward Bennett.
Thank you so much for standing in the gap with us financially and prayerfully. We are…

Your representatives to Brazil,

Dan & Becky Bennett

December 2010 Prayer Letter

Dan Bennett — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 15:29:33 +0000

December 9, 2010

Dear Faithful Partners in the Ministry,

“And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:10, 11). We praise the Lord that the gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, is for “all people.”

We have had a very busy schedule over the summer and fall months as we have traveled extensively. We have visited a number of our supporting churches, as well as being in some new churches. We praise the Lord for some new churches that have taken us on for monthly support.

In August, we traveled to Williamsburg, Ohio to help with a Vacation Bible School. We had a great time and we were able to see several children make professions of faith. From there, we traveled to Illinois, then back to Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Virginia. We began the month of September in Virginia for the first two and a half weeks, and the last week of September was spent in St. Louis, MO, in a missions conference of one of our supporting churches.

October took us to another missions conference in South Carolina, just over an hour from our home church. On October 8^th, we left South Carolina for a trip that would take us all the way to California. We had a rigorous schedule that took us through thirteen states while visiting a number of churches. While we had the privilege of seeing the Grand Canyon and many other sights, nothing compares to the joy of seeing two people accept Christ as their Saviour while we were in San Diego, CA. We had good meetings in Arizona, California, Texas and Alabama. We praise the Lord for one new church in Texas that immediately took us on for support while we were there. Please pray for us as other churches in Texas will be voting soon to take us on for support.

We are now back in South Carolina for the Christmas holidays, but will begin traveling again in January of 2011. Our schedule is filling up quickly, and I am trying to get into as many new churches as possible. Please keep us in your prayers as we need to raise some additional support. Thankfully, God has not been affected by the economic crisis, and we trust Him in regards to our support needs.

Our family is doing well and Christine is now seven months old and growing like a weed. We have been traveling together this summer and fall, but will be a little more stationary as the children continue in their studies. Rachel, having finished high school this past school year, has been a big help around the house. She just recently celebrated her 20^th birthday. Joseph is a senior with A Beka Academy and is working hard to finish all the requirements for this year. Nathan is in 10^th grade and Anna is in 9^th. Deborah, now seven years old, is in the 3^rd grade, and Matthew, age five, is in Kindergarten. Please pray for our children as homeschooling on the road is difficult. Becky is doing fine and stays busy trying to keep up with the children and their schooling, as well as, our travels. Please remember our family in your prayers concerning our safety and well-being. We have stayed healthy this year except for a cold here or there. The Lord has certainly been good to us, for which we are thankful. He supplied every need and even some wants on our trip to California and back. Praise His name!

Thank you for the birthday and anniversary cards this year, as well as, the Christmas cards and special Christmas gifts that you have given sacrificially. We trust that God will bless each and every one of you this Christmas season. Remember that Jesus is not only the “reason for the season”, but also the reason for our ministry in Brazil. Merry Christmas!

Your missionaries to Brazil,

Dan & Becky Bennett

Dan Bennett — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 03:09:03 +0000

June 28, 2010

Dear faithful partners in the ministry,

O give thanks unto the LORD; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people (Psalm 105:1). We have much for which to praise the Lord! He is so good to us and His grace is all-sufficient! We would like to share with you the great deeds He is doing with us and through us, here in the USA, as well as in Brazil.

We praise the Lord for Missionary Garry Tyler, with his wife, Pam, as they are keeping the work in Osasco going while we are here in the USA for furlough. They have re-started the teen meetings every other Saturday evening, and have had good attendance with even a few visitors. Please remember Rivaldo in your prayers as he has been coming, but has yet to trust Christ as his personal Savior. Adriano, a man that Dan led to the Lord a couple of years ago, has gone visiting with Garry on occasion, so pray that he and his wife (Kléia) will continue to be faithful to church and in making visits. Pam and our niece, Christa, have taken Kléia to make a visit with Sandra, her sister-in-law, who was very depressed after losing her baby. The Gospel was clearly presented to Sandra, and although she did not make a decision at the time, she is open to having more visits with Pam and Christa. Please keep Sandra in your prayers regarding her salvation.

Vacation Bible School is also scheduled at the Bible Baptist Church of Osasco, Brazil for July 22-25. Please pray that God will greatly use those involved in the preparation and teaching of the VBS, and that many Brazilian children will trust Christ as Savior. Also pray that we will be able to get into the homes of these children to be able to witness to their unsaved parents. In our next prayer letter I plan to give a report on the VBS held in July.

On Friday, May 7, 2010, Becky gave birth to Christine Ruth Bennett. Christine was born at 8:01 a.m., weighed 8 pounds and 6 ounces, and was 19 1/2 inches long. Everyone loves her, and Deborah and Matthew are constantly touching and kissing her. We praise the Lord for this new addition to our family. We plan to make a new family picture made as soon as possible so that new prayer cards can be made.

The following Saturday on May 15, our oldest daughter, Rachel, graduated from the A Beka Academy in Pensacola. FL. We praise the Lord for her completing this milestone in her life, and we look forward to seeing how God is going to use her in the future.

We had the privilege to be at BIMI on June 8 for the 50th anniversary celebration of our mission. We were able to see some friends, pastors and missionaries that we had not seen for a long time, and also witness the inauguration of Dr. David Snyder as the new president and general director. Dr. Snyder has been a missionary in Alaska and has served as the Far North director with BIMI. We praise the Lord for God’s direction in the selection of Dr. Snyder as president. We are also glad to see that BIMI remains a conservative, independent, fundamental Baptist mission board.

We are busy scheduling meetings for the remainder of 2010, and even into the first part of 2011. We praise the Lord for two new churches that have added us to their missions family since we began traveling! Please pray with us that we will be successful in scheduling meetings with other independent Baptist churches that will partner with us in prayer and financial support.

Thank you once again to those of you that have been a part of our ministry. Some have been partnering with us since the beginning, and others have “come on board” just recently. Each one of you is important, and the part you have in our family and ministry is vital. May God continue to bless each and every one of you for “holding the ropes” on our behalf.

O give thanks unto the LORD; make known his deeds among the people!

Your missionaries to Brazil,

Dan & Becky Bennett

Greetings from PA

Dan Bennett — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 14:00:03 +0000

I am (along with Joseph & Nathan) at the Bible Baptist Church in New Bloomfield, PA for their Missions Conference Wednesday through Sunday. We left Rock Hill, SC last Friday (4/16) toward one of our supporting churches in Penndel, PA. On the way, we stopped and spent the night at another one of our supporting churches in Clinton, MD. On Saturday we arrived at the Grace Independent Baptist Church in Penndel, PA, where we again met Pr. Danny Vanhoose. We had not seen him since our last furlough in 2003. We chatted with him for a while before setting up our display and preparing the DVD player and projector for Sunday’s service. We then went to our hotel for the night. The next morning we had a good time in Sunday School and church there, giving a report of our ministry and preaching. After the service, the pastor took us out to the Old Country Buffet before we left to go to another church for the evening service.
We arrived at the Liberty Baptist Church in Ephrata, PA around 5:15pm, met the pastor, and he showed us to the prophet’s chamber. On the way, I saw their map of the world and the missionaries they support. I was surprised to see a prayer card of our colleagues, Garry and Pam Tyler. When I made a connection with the Tylers, the pastor asked me to preach, besides setting up our display and showing our DVD. We had another good service, and the people there were very gracious.
As I mentioned at the beginning, we are at the Bible Baptist Church in New Bloomfield, PA for their Missions Conference Wednesday through Sunday. We arrived on Monday since New Bloomfield and Ephrata are only about an hour and a half apart. On Monday afternoon we were taught and allowed to ride a four-wheeler for the first time. On Tuesday we were taken to a shooting range for a little target practice. We have enjoyed our time here as the folks here are so generous to us every time we are here. Pray for me as I will be preaching tonight (Thursday, 4/22), showing our DVD on Friday, and then preaching again on Sunday in the morning service. We will be leaving and returning to Rock Hill on Monday, April 26.
Becky’s down to 15 days before the baby is due. Pray for her as the pregnancy winds down, and that all would go well during her C-section, scheduled for May 7. Thanks for your prayers. God bless!

Missions Conference at Southside Baptist Church

Dan Bennett — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 19:57:01 +0000

The annual Faith Promise Missions Conference got underway yesterday (March 3, 2010) at our home church, the Southside Baptist Church, located at 1229 South Anderson Road in Rock Hill, SC. The conference speaker is Dr. Dick Webster, pastor of the Liberty Baptist Church in Lewisville, TX. Bob and Deb Thompson are here with Bibles International, as well as Amos and Jennifer Moses who are missionaries to India. We are honored to be able to participate this year while we are back in the States for our furlough. We heard a good message last night from God’s Word in the English service, and I heard that Bro. Moses did a good job as well in the Spanish service. We look forward to seeing what God will do through our home church in the area of missions for the upcoming year. If you are in the area, please stop in for one of the services. There are services for both English and Spanish speaking people tonight and Friday night at 7:00 p.m. There will be a church-wide breakfast on Saturday morning at 8:00 a.m. in the Family Life Center, then our Missions Banquet on Saturday afternoon at 5:00 p.m. Sunday services will be at the regularly scheduled times (9:45 a.m., 11:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.). Hope to see you in church this week!

The Home-Going of a Precious Lady

Dan Bennett — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 19:05:48 +0000

Before I say anything about my grandmother-in-law, I would first like to begin by talking about her Savior, because I believe that she would want me to do that. We have a PRECIOUS Savior! I would like for you to think with me about the words to the following song.

HE IS SO PRECIOUS TO ME
Words & Music by Charles H. Gabriel

So precious is Jesus, my Savior, my King;
His praise all the day long with rapture I sing.
To Him in my weakness for strength I can cling,
For He is so precious to me.

Refrain:
For He is so precious, so precious to me;
For He is so precious, so precious to me.
’Tis heaven below, my Redeemer to know,
For He is so precious to me.

He stood at my heart’s door ’mid sunshine and rain,
And patiently waited an entrance to gain.
What shame that so long He entreated in vain,
For He is so precious to me.

Refrain

I stand on the mountain of blessing at last,
No cloud in the heavens a shadow to cast,
His smile is upon me; the valley is past,
For He is so precious to me.

Refrain

I praise Him because He appointed a place
Where some day, through faith in His wonderful grace,
I know I shall see Him, shall look on His face,
For He is so precious to me.

Refrain

Here is another song that tells of the PRECIOUS name of Jesus.

PRECIOUS NAME
Words and Music by Lydia O. Baxter, 1870

Take the Name of Jesus with you,
Child of sorrow and of woe,
It will joy and comfort give you;
Take it then, where’er you go.

Refrain:
Precious Name, oh, how sweet!
Hope of earth and joy of Heav’n;
Precious Name, oh, how sweet!
Hope of earth and joy of Heav’n.

Refrain

Take the Name of Jesus ever,
As a shield from every snare;
If temptations round you gather,
Breathe that holy Name in prayer.

Refrain

Oh, the precious Name of Jesus!
How it thrills our souls with joy,
When His loving arms receive us,
And His songs our tongues employ!

Refrain

At the Name of Jesus bowing,
Falling prostrate at His feet,
King of kings in heav’n we’ll crown Him,
When our journey is complete.

I love those two songs that remind us that Jesus is PRECIOUS! His name is precious. The Bible tells us that the blood of Jesus Christ is precious. (1 Peter 1:19 – But with the precious blood of Christ…)

The Bible also tells us in 1 Peter 2:7, “Unto you therefore which believe he is precious.” Those of us that believe in Jesus Christ as Savior, He IS precious to us. Jesus was precious to “Grandma.”

But now I want to change my focus a little to something else in the Scriptures that is said to be “precious”. The Bible says in Psalm 116:15, “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.”

It’s interesting to note that the same word is used of Jesus, His blood, and the death of His saints. We can understand that Jesus and His blood are precious, even essential, to our salvation, but how is the death of a Christian precious in the sight of the LORD?

Let me try to explain it by using a simple illustration from the airport. We have been to airports and many times have seen it when one person is about to enter the line that reads “EMBARKING”. There is a circle of friends and loved ones around the person that will soon be departing. They are hugging, crying, and kissing the soon departing loved one. It is truly a sad time as they say their goodbyes.

However, at another location, perhaps half-way around the world is someone else anxiously awaiting the arrival of the aforementioned person getting ready to embark on his trip to a new and different place. The people in this place are excited about the arrival of the traveler. Everything has been prepared. They can’t wait for the long-awaited loved one to arrive as they count down the days, then the hours, and then the minutes. This excited waiting party is at the airport early with flowers in hand, checking the flight status on the computer monitor in the terminal. They eagerly watch out through the window, wondering if THAT’S the plane he is on, wanting to see when the plane lands, and then whispering a prayer of gratitude when the plane has safely landed. Then, as excited children on Christmas morning, the arrival party practically runs to the “DISEMBARKING” area to be the first to get a glimpse of the one arriving.

But wait: the traveler left a group of sobbing loved ones just a short time ago. It was a tough trip, both emotionally and physically. Now he is anxious to see the arrival party at the airport. It was a long, tiring journey, and the traveler is ready for the journey to end, and to finally get home.

As our weary traveler nears the end of his journey, he sees HIM. The ONE who loves the traveler with an everlasting love. The One who gave His life for the traveler. The One who had prepared a place for the traveler. Everything is ready for the traveler to arrive. As the eyes of the weary traveler makes visual contact with the One waiting, he sees Him running toward him with tears of joy streaming down His face. As the two embrace, the tired traveler hears, “Welcome Home, My child.” The journey has ended.

As we return to think of the departure of our dear mother, grandmother, mother-in-law, grandmother-in-law, and great grandmother, we can rest assured that her arrival on the other Shore was a grand reunion with her Savior. As we on THIS side weep over the departure of our beloved one, there was joy on the OTHER side upon her arrival. The LORD was there to take her in His loving arms, and not only did He say to her, “Well done, good and faithful servant,” but He also said, “Welcome Home, My precious child.”

The Home-going of a precious saint of God is precious in the sight of the LORD. And since it is precious in the eyes of God, it should be precious to us as well.

“Grandma, you will be missed, but we know that you are in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ, and surely it must be precious!”

That is how the death of a Christian is precious in the sight of the LORD.

Now THAT is PRECIOUS!