Genesis 23:17-20

And the field of Ephron, which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field, and the cave which was therein, and all the trees that were in the field, that were in all the borders round about, were made sure
Unto Abraham for a possession in the presence of the children of Heth, before all that went in at the gate of his city.
And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre: the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan.
And the field, and the cave that is therein, were made sure unto Abraham for a possession of a buryingplace by the sons of Heth.

I like that phrase, “were made sure.”

The field was made sure. The cave was made sure. The whole matter was settled publicly, openly, legally. There would be no dispute later. There would be no question about it. Abraham now had a place where Sarah could be buried.

And where was that place? Machpelah.

The cave with the double doors.

So as Abraham buried Sarah, I believe he did so knowing she had simply passed through one door and out the other into eternity. Yes, the burial was real. Yes, the separation was painful. Yes, the grave was there. But Sarah was not trapped there. She had passed through.

That is why I am so glad we are saved.

Because if this life is all there is, then grief becomes unbearable, death becomes absurd, and the grave becomes the final word. But because Christ has conquered death, everything changes. The grave is no longer the end of the story. Sorrow is still real, but it is not hopeless. Separation still hurts, but it is not forever.

That is what I see here.

Abraham is a stranger and a sojourner, but he is not lost. He is grieving, but he is not despairing. He is burying Sarah, but he is doing so with the understanding that for the people of God, death is not final.

And really, life only makes sense in the framework of eternity.

If there is no eternity, so much of life just does not add up. Love, loss, sorrow, death, longing, all of it ends in confusion. But when eternity is brought into view, suddenly things begin to make sense. The tears are still there, but they are not wasted. The grief is still deep, but it is not empty. The goodbye is still hard, but it is not forever.

That is why the believer can have peace in the meantime.

We are sojourners and strangers here. We do not fully belong here. We feel that more and more as we walk with the Lord. But while we are heading home, He gives us a peace that passes understanding. Not because life is easy. Not because death does not hurt. But because heaven is real, Jesus is alive, and the story is not over.

I honestly think that is one of the great gifts of salvation. Jesus does not merely forgive my sin, though thank God He does. He also gives me a way to understand life itself. He gives me a way to face death. He gives me a way to walk through grief. He gives me a framework in which all the pieces finally fit.

Once eternity becomes the frame, life starts making sense.

So Abraham buries Sarah in a place made sure. The field is his. The cave is his. The matter is settled. And though he lays her body in the earth, he does so knowing she has simply passed through.

I am so glad we are saved. I am so glad this world is not all there is. I am so glad the grave is not the end. I am so glad that for the child of God, the last breath here becomes the first breath there. We are strangers and pilgrims now, but we are heading home. And in the meantime, the Lord gives us a peace the world cannot understand, because life only makes sense in the framework of eternity.