"Lord, now let you your servant depart in peace, according to your Word." Luke 2:29
No one is ready to die in peace — until he has seen Christ; but when he has seen Him, he needs no further preparation for dying. He may never have looked upon any of the wonders of this world; but it is not necessary that he should have done so, if he has beheld the Lamb of God. He may not have carried out one of his own ambitious plans in life, nor have achieved anything great or beautiful; but that does not matter, as the one essential achievement in life — is to see Jesus. When we have truly seen Him — then dying has no more terrors, for Christ has robbed death of its sting, and the grave of its victory.
The Christian has a soft pillow of peace to rest upon — when he comes to die. Christ has lifted the curse from his soul, and made death but the way to glory. He Himself tasted death for His people — and now there is no death for any of them. He said to Martha, by her brother's grave, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever lives and believes in me shall never die." That means, that those who are saved by Christ find no terror, no darkness, nothing to harm them, in dying — but pass through death, as through a beautiful gate into everlasting life!
The word 'let' in today's scripture, means 'set free', "Set your servant free to depart;" implying that what we call life is like the imprisoning of the eagle; and what we call death, after one has seen Christ, is blessed and glorious emancipation. What a beautiful thought of dying! All we need, then, is truly to see Christ before we die. When He has lifted away the curse of sin, and put His own holy life into our souls — then we are already in the portal of Heaven while in this world; dying will be but being set free to enter in, and to behold Christ face to face forever!
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J.R. Miller (1840 - 1912)
Prolific author and pastor of Presbyterian churches in Pennsylvania and Illinois, Rev. James Russell Miller served the USCC as a field agent in the Army of the Potomac and Army of the Cumberland.J.R. Miller began contributing articles to religious papers while at Allegheny Seminary. This continued while he was at the First United, Bethany, and New Broadway churches. In 1875, Miller took over from Henry C. McCook, D.D. when the latter discontinued his weekly articles in The Presbyterian, which was published in Philadelphia. J.R. Miller D.D.'s lasting fame is through his over 50 books. Many are still in publication.
James Russell Miller (March 20, 1840 - July 2, 1912) was a popular Christian author, Editorial Superintendent of the Presbyterian Board of Publication, and pastor of several churches in Pennsylvania and Illinois.
In 1857, James entered Beaver Academy and in 1862 he progressed to Westminster College, Pennsylvania, which he graduated in June, 1862. Then in the autumn of that year he entered the theological seminary of the United Presbyterian Church at Allegheny, Pennsylvania. Mr. Miller resumed his interrupted studies at the Allegheny Theological Seminary in the fall of 1865 and completed them in the spring of 1867. That summer he accepted a call from the First United Presbyterian Church of New Wilmington, Pennsylvania. He was ordained and installed on September 11, 1867.
J.R. Miller began contributing articles to religious papers while at Allegheny Seminary. This continued while he was at the First United, Bethany, and New Broadway churches. In 1875, Miller took over from Henry C. McCook, D.D. when the latter discontinued his weekly articles in The Presbyterian, which was published in Philadelphia.
Five years later, in 1880, Dr. Miller became assistant to the Editorial Secretary at the The Presbyterian Board of Publication, also in Philadelphia.