Crossing the river
Precious in his sight
At the very end of Pilgrim's Progress, Christian and his companion Hopeful reach the Celestial City — but between them and its gates lies a deep river, with no bridge. The river is death, and they must pass through it to reach home. Christian is afraid as he enters, and the waters seem to overwhelm him; but Hopeful holds him up, reminding him of the promises, and they reach the far bank, where shining ones await to lead them through the gates into glory.
Bunyan's image captures a truth Scripture states plainly: for the believer, death is not the end but the last river before home, a passage to be crossed rather than a wall. And the psalmist says something startling about that passage: precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints. To us, death looks like loss and terror; to God, the death of one of his own is precious — not a tragedy but a homecoming, the moment a beloved child finally arrives.
This transforms how the pilgrim faces the last river. Death remains an enemy, and grief is real; but for the believer it has become a defeated enemy, a crossing rather than a cliff, the final passage into the presence of God. Surely goodness and mercy follow us all the days of our life, the psalmist sings, and we shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. The river is the last stretch of the road home. The pilgrim may enter it afraid, but on the far bank, shining ones wait, and the gates of the city stand open.
“Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.”
— The psalmist — Psalm 116:15 (WEB)
Face death as the last river before home — a crossing rather than a wall — trusting that the death of his saints is precious in the Lord's sight, a homecoming, not a tragedy.
“Surely goodness and loving kindness shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the LORD's house forever.”
We face death as a terror and a final wall, all loss and ending. The interior work is to receive what Bunyan pictured and Scripture states — that for the believer death is the last river before home, a passage to be crossed — and the startling truth that the death of his saints is precious to God, a homecoming rather than a tragedy, so death becomes a defeated enemy and a crossing into his presence, even if entered afraid.
This week, face your own mortality or the death of a believer differently: hold it as the last river before home, a crossing into God's presence where the death of his saints is precious, and let the promises hold you up as you contemplate it.
Death looms as a wall and a darkness, and the fear of it is among the oldest the human heart carries — all loss, it whispers, with nothing on the far side. But for the saint it is a defeated thing, the last river before home, and the soul that knows its death is precious to the Lord steps in afraid yet held, the gates of the City standing open on the other bank.
At the end of Pilgrim's Progress, Christian must cross a deep river with no bridge to reach the Celestial City. The river is death, and he enters it afraid, the waters seeming to overwhelm him — until his companion holds him up with the promises, and they reach the far bank, where shining ones lead them through the gates. Bunyan captures what Scripture states plainly: for the believer, death is not a wall but the last river before home.
The psalmist says something startling about that crossing: precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints. To us, death looks like loss and terror; to God, the death of one of his own is precious — not a tragedy but a homecoming, a beloved child finally arriving. Death remains an enemy, and grief is real, but for the believer it has become a defeated enemy, a passage rather than a cliff, the final stretch of the road into God's presence. The pilgrim may enter the river afraid, but goodness and mercy follow all the way, and on the far bank the gates of the city stand open.
- Do I face death as a final wall, or as the last river before home?
- Can I believe the death of his saints is precious to God, a homecoming?
- What promises would hold me up as I cross the last river?
Lord, I face death as a terror and a final wall. But for your saints it is the last river before home, and precious in your sight. Hold me up with your promises as I contemplate that crossing, and lead me through the river to the gates of the city, where I shall dwell with you forever. Amen.