How Does One Magnify Christ in Death?

Few stories had impressed themselves upon my memory more than the story of the dying joy of Roy Orpin. In 1961, Roy married his sweetheart Gillian and shortly thereafter they moved to what is today known as Thailand there to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the people living in the jungles. The work was hard. They were treated rudely. Some disagreement even arose among the missionaries working in the area. Still they continued to serve and seek to proclaim the message. Gillian became pregnant with their first. As the time of her due date approached, the Orpins decided that it might be best for Gillian and the baby if they were to go to a more modern area until the baby was delivered. Roy made the difficult decision to stay and work with the natives. After taking a trip into the more modern populated areas, Roy was dropped off by bus as close to his place of service as possible. He would then have to make the long hike back into the jungle to the village where he ministered. Shortly after getting off the bus, Roy was accosted by robbers who shot him in the process of robbing him of a very insignificant amount of money. Roy was discovered and taken to hospital where he seemed to be recovering. However, the internal injury that he had sustained was greater than what the doctors realized. After three days, some of Roy’s internal organs began to fail. It became apparent that Roy would die. Gillian was at his side when he asked her to recite the words to the hymn “Jesus, I Am Resting.” She leaned over and whispered in his ear-

“Jesus, I am resting,
Resting in the joy of what Thou art.
I am finding out the greatness
Of Thy loving heart.”

When she finished, Roy smiled and said, “How good God is.” Moments later he had fallen asleep in Jesus.

How could Roy say that God was good in the midst of those circumstances? Roy was only recently married, looking forward to a lifetime with Gillian. Roy had only just started in ministry, and was looking forward to serving God in Thailand for many years to come. He was expecting his first child, and no doubt looking forward to watching that child grow up. All of this was being taken from him in death. How could he have such joy in Jesus when he was losing all of this?

I believe that Roy could have this joy because he had the same mindset as Paul. Paul wrote, “According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: (Philippians 1:20-23)” To be with Christ was not only better than life-it was far better. Roy lived and died to magnify Christ, and the evidence of this is that he gave his life in Jesus’ service and looked forward to being with Him more than anything on earth. To Roy, God’s lovingkindness was better than life, and he praised Him even in death (Psalm 63:3).

May God give me a passion for Him that is greater than my desire for anything on this earth. This is a passion and purpose to live die with!