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  DEVOUR ME, DEVOUR ME!
  by Thomas Brooks
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Summary: Assurance brings a desire for death, as it is seen as a means
to be with Christ and experience God's presence.

Topics: "Assurance in Christ", "The Nature of Death"
Scripture References: Psalm 116:15, Isaiah 25:8, John 11:25-26, Romans 6:23, 1 Corinthians 15:55, Philippians 1:23, 1 Thessalonians 4:14, 2 Timothy 4:7-8, Hebrews 2:14-15, Revelation 21:4

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DESCRIPTION
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Thomas Brooks emphasizes that assurance in Christ transforms the
perception of death from a fearsome enemy into a welcomed friend. He
illustrates how assurance sweetens the thoughts of death, making it a
desirable release from sin, sorrow, and affliction, while also being a
gateway to eternal joy with God. Brooks quotes Nazianzen, who boldly
invites death to 'devour' him, highlighting the Christian's hope in the
resurrection and the ultimate victory over sin. The assured soul looks
forward to death as a day of liberation, where all that burdens them
will be left behind. Thus, for the believer, death is not to be feared
but embraced as a passage to eternal life with Christ.

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CONTENT
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Assurance will sweeten the thoughts of death--

and all the aches, pains, weaknesses, sicknesses,

and diseases--which are the forerunners of death;

yes, it will make a man look and long for death.

Nazianzen said to the king of terrors, "Devour me,

devour me! Death cures all diseases, the aching

head, and the unbelieving heart!"

Assurance makes a man smile upon the king

of terrors. The assured soul knows that death

shall be the funeral of . . .

all his sins,

all his sorrows,

all his afflictions,

all his temptations.

He knows that death shall be the resurrection of

his joys. He knows that death is both an outlet

and an inlet; an outlet to sin; and an inlet to the

soul's clear, full, and constant enjoyment of God!

And this makes the assured soul to sing it sweetly

out, "O death, where is your sting? O grave, where

is your victory? "I desire to depart and be with

Christ, which is better by far!" "Make haste, my

beloved." "Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly!"

Now death is more desirable than life. Now says

the soul, "let him fear death, who is averse to go

to Christ."

The Persians had a certain day in the year, in which

they used to kill all serpents and venomous creatures.

The assured Christian knows that the day of death will

be such a day to him--and that makes death lovely and

desirable. He knows that sin was the midwife which

brought death into the world; and that death shall be

the grave to bury sin. And therefore death is not a

terror--but a delight unto him. He fears it not as an

enemy--but welcomes it as a friend.

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Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/thomas-brooks/devour-me-devour-me/
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