Skip to main content

Bittersweet

Today I attended a funeral for the sister of a man from our church.  The word that best describes my response to this service is "bittersweet."

The funeral had its bitter moments.  The pastor faithfully reminded us that all death is the result of Adam's fall.  All death is a consequence of sin - and death is bitter.  It is the last enemy.  Barring the return of Jesus, its pain is inevitable for each and every one of us.  The one who was loved has been snatched beyond the reach of those who loved her.  Hence, tears were shed.

However, this funeral was also sweet.  She was a loving child of God.  She had placed her trust in Jesus Christ as her Lord and Saviour.  He had already died in her place.  Her confidence was that being absent from the body meant being present with the Lord.  Her Master is the Resurrection and the Life.  He has conquered death.  He has risen from the grave and is the First-fruits of all who trust in Him.  As a result, all of the pain and suffering that she experienced here in this world has been left behind.  There is no more sickness, suffering or dying where she is.  She is with Jesus and, therefore we do not sorrow as those who have no hope.  Sweet!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Families' Fridays

Starting a Family Devotion Time by Michael Kelley I haven’t always been a family devotion guy. It’s not because I didn’t want or aspire to be, I honestly did. But we went a long time as a family before pulling the trigger and trying to integrate this practice into the regular rhythm of our family life.  We’ve been doing morning devotions together for about five years now – long enough to where our kids expect that we will. It’s a long road, as are most things with young children I’m finding out. Though revival doesn’t break out every morning over eggs and toast, our continued hope and prayer is that times like these build into the love and discipline our children will have in the future when it comes to God’s Word.  Through those five years, we’ve tried different things, failed at a bunch, and have learned some things along the way. So, as encouragement to those of you just starting out or maybe some affirmation for those of you already in ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Oops!

I can be a real klutz.  I have very few manual skills and I never grew out of the "tripping over my own feet" stage of life.  I have fumbled and dropped more than my fair share of balls. In other words, "oops" has been a regular part of my vocabulary. It is not only in the physical world that I have fumbled things.  I have messed up relationships.  I have prejudged people before ever getting to know them.  I have used and abused those who love me most in this world.  I have failed and sinned my way into more than one tight corner and created untold disasters.  Oops is not even sufficient for the ways that I have blown it. Perhaps that is why something Paul, our worship leader last Sunday, said resonated so deeply with me this week.  He said "Oops is never said in heaven."  Our God never is clumsy.  He never makes mistakes. His plans never go belly-up.  He never fails.  He never ever has to say oops - and that comforts me.
Post a Comment
Read more

The Incarnation

This Christmas I have been contemplating a passage that I have never heard preached at Christmas.  It is Hebrews 2:14-18. 14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. 16 For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. 17 Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.   Although there is no baby in swaddling clothes in these verses, they powerfully describe the work of the incarnation - of God becoming man.  Christ came to share ou...
Post a Comment
Read more