Even Death Can Glorify God

John 21:18-19: "(Jesus said) 'I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.' Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, 'Follow me!'"

Death is the sobering reality for us all. As finite creatures that have sinned against a Holy God, we are subject to physical death as the judgment for our rebellion against the Lord (Romans 5:12).

Despite this curse placed upon us, we still have a purpose in this physical life. Specifically, we are called to glorify God (I Corinthians 10:31). The first way in which we are able to accomplish this purpose is to be grafted into the life source of Jesus Christ. Jesus has provided Himself as the atoning sacrifice for our sins; and He offers this gift to us all, if we would submit to Him as Lord.

Still, we will be given opportunities throughout this temporal life to glorify God, and these opportunities will culminate in our eventual death. In the passage above, Jesus called out to Peter and said that the disciple would glorify God through his death. After giving this prophecy, Jesus then strongly commanded Peter to follow Him. Early Christian historians, Tertullian and Eusebius, recorded years later that Peter was executed for his faith by the Emperor Nero in Rome. Peter remained faithful to the Lord, even though his physical life was the cost for such faithfulness; and through his death, God was glorified.

The Apostle Paul exhorts us to "be careful how (we) live, making the most of every opportunity" in our lives for the glory of God. Although death will be packaged differently for each of us, we know that our purpose to glorify God is no less important; we are still called as servants of the Most Holy One to bring Him praise and honor. I've heard it said that one "dies like he lives." If you are living a life transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit, it is likely that you will carry that transformation into your death. And yes, no matter how difficult your end will be, you can glorify God in your death.