We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, concerning those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who have no hope.
--- 1 Thessalonians 4:13 (CSB)
I have a friend who just lost his brother to ALS at age 54. We had just talked about the situation several days earlier. My friends family were in conflict. The mother and others didn't want the young man to die, even though the disease was at the stage where no recovery was possible. But my friend only wanted his brother to be relieved from his suffering.
The Apostle Paul wrote about the anticipated return of Christ and what would happen with the deceased, as well as those still alive. He gives God's promise that they all would be cared for and would ultimately spend eternity with the living Savior. The ALS victim had professed faith in Christ, so my friend could freely encourage his brother to "go be with the Lord."
Funerals are more for the living than the dead. We should not feel badly for the poor soul who went on, because he or she are now being comforted by the one who made them. We mourn the loss of the loved one, because we can no longer enjoy their company. There are some, however, who will not mourn the loss, because the deceased was not a good person, not a caring family member, or may even had led a life of crime. God sorts all of these things out. He has a plan, and his plan is perfect.
O Lord, even though I don't fully understand the future following death, help me to trust in your perfect plan and your everlasting love. Amen
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment