Sunday Reflection: The Sting of Death

When people we love die, it’s final. We can’t see them anymore, talk to them on the phone or include them when good or bad things happen to us.

Death is final. Death has its sting.

If we're lucky, they live a long life, but sometimes they don’t and that is a tragedy in itself. Sometimes people are blessings, but can also be thorns causing pain.

Death has little benefit unless we accept by faith that Jesus is the Son of God sent to save his people from themselves: sin, bad decisions, a life lived unworthy of the plan of God.

Today someone I’ve known for so very long, a relative, is dying.  Family members are sad. We all know we will see her again in heaven, but that does not take away the sting of death.

“Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 

For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.

According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.

After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.

Therefore encourage one another with these words.” 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (NIV)

Blessings,

Teresa