Sobering Thoughts
These days, it is hard not to think about death.
But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who have died, so that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have died. For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will by no means precede those who have died. For the Lord himself, with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call and with the sound of God’s trumpet, will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air; and so we will be with the Lord for ever. Therefore encourage one another with these words. - 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
It's good news when we hear that the number of people who died from the coronavirus has dropped, but while we are finding that hopeful, it shouldn't deaden us to the fact that people are still dying.
We can take comfort in knowing that after this life there is something that is promised to be so much better, but I doubt any of us are in a hurry to find out for sure what that is.
Today's reading ends with a note of encouragement. Comfort and encourage one another with these words.
Look ahead to the better time when all will be together, risen and glorified. But in the mean time, there is pain and suffering for the loss of a loved one.
It is said that the souls continue in joy while we in our bodies suffer the misery of not having that person with us. Yet, they are with us, just in a different way, closer, in our hearts, minds and souls.
There is no way to truly comfort those who mourn. We can just be there for them, as they will be there for us when it is our turn.
It's one of the trials of this life, to love and lose. But if we can find a way to continue in that love, we can live in the hope of eternal life.
We should not let our fears and doubts steal that from us.
More to come...