None There

And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life. I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life.
1st John 5:11-13 NLT

Several of my family and close friends are grieving the loss of multiple family members this year and my heart aches for them. Grieving is so difficult. One can get lost in the wilderness of it all. I don't know how people who don't have a relationship with the Lord can find their way through the valley of the shadow of death. I'll just tell you straight up, I could not. Not without God. Not without His promises. 

As Christians, we lean heavily upon His Word with regard to eternal life with Christ. Paul writes in Thessalonians that we don't grieve as the world grieves (without hope), but we still grieve. There's sorrow in the loss we feel this side of heaven, but Psalm 119:50 tells us, Your promise revives me; it comforts me in all my troubles. Today, as I was thinking about a friend who placed a bench in the cemetery near the loved one's gravesite, I rejoiced with the great good news that there are NO GRAVES IN HEAVEN. None. This whole grieving process will be left behind when Jesus comes to get us...

Revelation 21:4 promises that He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever. There will be none there. Thank You, Lord!

Prayer:

Father,

          Thank You for the promise of eternal life. Thank You for giving us Your Word so we can remind ourselves when we forget. Thank You for the comfort that only You can provide and Your precious peace that passes understanding. Father, I pray for those who are sorrowing. Please let them feel Your presence all around them, loving and comforting. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Forever

Those who are righteous will be long remembered. They do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the Lord to care for them.

Psalm 112:6b-7

Trust in him at all times, oh people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.
Psalm 62:8

Today has been a hard day. The granddaughter of a dear friend of mine passed away (due to illness), and an older friend of mine died today, as well. I have cried a lot even though I know without a doubt where both of them will spend eternity. It is beyond sad when we lose loved ones. 

I am also moved to tears for the family members and beloved friends who are left bereft in their loss. We want to comfort them with word and deed, but the truth is there are no words spoken to them that will make it okay. However, words breathed in prayer to God on behalf of those in sorrow will bring both the comfort and the peace that passes understanding. We don't have to know how that works, we just need to trust God at all times that it will. 

We mourn, but not as the world mourns without hope. We trust a God who has promised us eternity with Him. This loss is not forever. 

Jesus is forever. Heaven is forever. This separation is not.

Prayer:

Father,

           Thank You for Your peace in the midst of the storms of life. Thank You for Your promise of no tears in Heaven. Thank You for the foundation and stability of Your Word that comforts us and holds us above the floodwaters of life. Wrap Your loving presence around us as we weep with those who weep, according to Your Word. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* + Weeping with Those

Rejoice with those who rejoice [sharing others’ joy], and weep with those who weep [sharing others’ grief].
Romans 12:15 The Amplified Bible

The line was long. It seemed like it wasn't moving forward at all and yet it never seemed to stop moving while we stood there in place. And when two left, three came to take their place. Too many people to count because the line wove in and out of rooms and spaces. And at times, wrapped itself around itself in the form of hugs and holding on to each other. A young man's life over too soon. Weeping with those who weep. Sharing each other's grief. 

We are to bear one another's burdens and God said that because this burden is too heavy to carry alone. Love bears all things. In that room was young love and old love and even forgotten love, but all of it came flooding to the top to comfort a loved one, to comfort a friend, to provide strength for each other, even to those friends of a friend or cousin.

Only God can work that miracle. Sad beyond our own endurance, but held together by His peace that passes understanding and His love and mercy poured out for all.  It was very simply amazing.

Prayer:

Father,
         Thank You for pouring out Your peace this evening. Thank You for Your strength flowing through and Your amazing love. I pray, Father, that You will be with the Raymundo family tonight and all their extended family and friends. Help us continue to have Your Heart of understanding and compassion and to reach out at Your gentle urging. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

* Looking for Answers

Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorant words? Brace yourself like a man, because I have some questions for you, and you must answer them. Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you know so much. Who determined its dimensions and stretched out the surveying line? What supports its foundations, and who laid its cornerstone as the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?

Job 38:2-7 NLT

Looking for answers? How many search engines can you name off the top of your head? 

We’re a world of people who want answers. We always want to know why. We always try to find the reason or the cause of why something happened. Bible colleges even teach courses in apologetics to try to help us explain or defend our beliefs. 

However, there are horrific events that take place for which we have no answers and we cannot ignore the proverbial elephant sitting in the room and say nothing and carry on as though it is life as usual with a cavalier attitude of “today's another day.” So what I do have, I offer to you.

Psalm 42:3, Day and night I have only tears for food, while my enemies continually taunt me, saying, “Where is this God of yours?”

Matthew 5:4, Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

  

Romans 8:26-27, And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.

2 Timothy 1:7, For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

Revelation 21:8,  But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

1st Thessalonians 4:13-18, And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died. We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the Christians who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. So encourage each other with these words.

Revelation 21:4, And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.

If you’re looking for answers, I only know one place that won’t give you the wrong answer… and only one place where you can find the answer to every question. God’s Word.

Prayer:

Father,

            There are situations where we can’t even begin to know how to pray without Your direction. According to Your Word, Holy Spirit, help us in our weakness. Pray for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And Father, hear our hearts as the Spirit pleads for us in harmony with Your own will. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen