Blessed Are Those Who Mourn
Geoffrey Saroea
This article originally appeared in the September 2018 issue of FOCUS.
There are several aspects to death.
Sorrow is a natural reaction to death, because a loved one has departed from our lives and is no longer with us. God has given us a wonderful gift of tears to release our sorrow and given us friends and family to comfort us during this time.
A second aspect is that sometimes death comes as a relief. Death allows freedom from the agony of sickness that the deceased may have been going through.
A third aspect is that death is the gateway to Heaven. We have to go through this ‘door’ of death to the other side.
As a believer, a fourth aspect to death is HOPE; that one day we will see our loved ones who sleep in Jesus. What is this Hope?
1 Thessalonians 4:14-18 says: “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”
God’s Word gives us Hope. The reference above says that those loved ones who are not with us are ‘asleep’ in Jesus. When Lord Jesus shall descend from heaven, the dead in Christ shall rise first. We who are alive shall be caught up together with them in the clouds. Will see our loved ones once again and we will meet Jesus face to face and be with Jesus. Amen!
Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. Psalm 50:15 says: “Call me in the day of trouble and I will answer thee. So call upon His name. He is our shield, strong tower and rock. He is our Shepherd and we shall have no want.”
Prayer: Father God I come to you in the name of Jesus. I lift up (place name here) and their family to your altar as they face the loss of a loved one. We cast all our sorrows and grief on to you. We need you at this time. I pray for your peace to come upon (place name here) and their family. Let your strength be their strength to help them go through their sorrow. Our eyes are upon you. Let your Word bring peace in their lives and healing and restoration. I pray this in Jesus name, amen.