1 Thessalonians 4:13–14 (LSB) - But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.
This year, July 2nd, 2024, passed without so much as a whisper. In fact, it wasn’t until a few days later that it hit me that it had been six years since my wife Donna went home to be with her savior. I had been so busy finishing one of my classes at Liberty University and planning for a four-week trip to Israel that the day had passed without considering that life-changing event six years before.
But as I reflected on that day, I realized that Donna was not the only one in my family who made that trip to their final home. Since July 2nd, 2018, seven more family members have also made that journey: two brothers-in-law, two sisters-in-law, my mother-in-law, and my parents. Mom and Dad were the last two to leave for eternity: Dad on January 7th of 2024 and Mom a few weeks later on May 12th, 2024.
What is it that allows those of us who remain to face the death of close friends and family? What enables us to pick up the pieces of our lives after the loss of a parent, a spouse, a brother, a sister, or a close friend? The answer from the world is to grieve, go to counseling, get some medication to get us through, and, at some point, learn to move on. But for the believer, there is a different answer. It is the understanding that for those of us who have come to the foot of the cross, confessed our sins, humbly asked for God’s forgiveness based on the finished work of Christ, and placed our faith and trust in Christ alone; there is an eternal day coming in which we will meet those who have gone on before us again. Death does not have the final word.
That is what gives me comfort in times of loss. I have been asked many times why it is that I have been able to navigate the rapids of loss without falling into depression or the bottomless pit of grief. It is not because I do not feel the loss, but in the loss, I know that I will see Donna, Mom, Dad, and my other family members again. Their loss is only temporary, as there is coming a day when I will never again be parted from them.
When I see Donna again, she won’t need cochlear implants to hear. She will not need glasses to see, she won’t be tooling around heaven on a gold scooter, she will no longer suffer from tremors, and she will never need to take naps again. She will be in perfect health. Dad will no longer suffer from depression, fear, and anxiety. He will be in his right mind, as I remember him in my earlier years when he was a happy, joyful, and fun person to be around. Mom will no longer suffer from chronic migraine headaches, need a walker or scooter to get around, and suffer from the excruciating pain of calcinosis. Her life will not be an endless schedule of doctor appointments; instead, she will be in perfect health. When I get there, I will get my full head of hair back, not need glasses, and will not have to worry about watching my health as I age.
This is what gives those of us who have placed our faith in Christ joy amid loss. It is not that we do not grieve, but we do not grieve as those with no hope. My grief over the loss of Donna, Mom, Dad, and my other family members was tempered by the realization that they are no longer suffering the effects of sin. They are no longer in pain but in the very presence of the Lord. Why would I want them to come back here, and why would I want them to stay here and suffer when, even now, they are in a place of eternal joy and peace? My loss is only temporary.
I recently remarked to a friend that I am reaching that point where I know more people in heaven than I do on earth. And as I thought about that, the reality of eternity became more focused. I am in my “golden years,” and eternity is much closer today than my forties. All of us face an appointment that we will not be able to avoid or postpone. So, each of us must ask ourselves, “Am I ready?”
The answer can be yes. The Bible tells us that God so loved the world that He sent His Son to die on the cross as our substitute and pay the debt of sin we owe God and can never pay on our own. Christ paid the debt for us, and all we must do is acknowledge our sins, bow at the foot of the cross, and ask God to forgive us. When we do that, we pass from death to life. Our debt is canceled, and we receive the imputed righteousness of Christ and become an adopted member of God’s family. When it becomes our turn to cross into eternity, we will cross into an eternal day in the very presence of God, where God will wipe away every tear, and there will no longer be death, sorrow, crying, and pain.
I’m ready to go! How about you?
If you’re not ready – how about getting prepared today?
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