"REFLECTIONS ON THE LOSS OF A LOVED ONE"
INTRODUCTION
- The loss of loved one is a difficult burden to bear...
- Only those who die young and before others escape this burden
- All others will bear this burden at some point in their life
- The Lord certainly knows our grief...
- He wept when as He saw those weeping over the loss of a loved one
- Jn 11:33-35
- He sought to prepare His own disciples for when they would lose
Him - Jn 14:1-3
- Indeed, God can be a wonderful source of comfort...
- In the here and now - cf. 2Co 1:3-5
- In the hereafter - cf. Re 21:4
- In the death of my mother...
- I found God to be the God of all comfort
- Indeed, I found that He provided many avenues of comfort
[As I reflected on my mother's passing, I found myself thankful for His
many comforts. Perhaps you might find my thoughts helpful should you
find yourself losing a loved one...]
- SOURCES OF COMFORT DEFINED
- HOPE IN CHRIST...
- As Christians, we grieve, but not as those with no hope - 1 Th
4:13
- In Christ, we have the hope of resurrection and reunion - 1 Th
4:14-17
- This hope is a wonderful source of comfort - 1Th 4:18
-- I was comforted to have a mother who died in Christ
- PRECIOUS MEMORIES...
- Memories can be a source of comfort - e.g., Php 1:3
- Especially when they involve one's faithful service to Christ
- Php 1:4-5
- Such memories add to the confidence of our hope - Php 1:6
-- I was comforted to have a mother who was a faithful Christian
- LOVE OF FAMILY, BRETHREN, FRIENDS...
- One way that God comforts us is through other people
- Who comfort us with comfort they have received from God - 2 Co
1:4
- In times of loss and suffering, it often brings out the best in
people
-- I was comforted by many expressions of love and kindness from
others
- THE WORD OF GOD...
- The Word of God is a source of peace and strength - Ps 119:165; 1:1-3
- If such was true of the Law, how much more the words of Jesus
and His apostles!
-- I was comforted by God's words of peace, love and hope
- PRAYER...
- Prayer is likewise a source of peace and strength - Php 4:6-7
- It is an avenue in which to find grace and help in time of need
- He 4:14-16
- Many people wrote to tell me that I was in their prayers
-- I was comforted by both personal and public prayers, offered by
so many
- SONGS...
- Songs of joy, faith, and hope were sung at the funeral
- Later, a congregation devoted an entire service to song in
memory of my mother
- With hymns, psalms, and spiritual songs, singing both praises
God and edifies one another - Ep 5:19; Col 3:16
-- I was comforted (and moved most, providing an outlet for my
grief) by songs of hope and faith that we have in Christ
[With so many sources of comfort, I found the loss of my mother to be a
reminder of how richly blessed I am, and how kind God has been to me.
Yet I am aware that not all enjoy such blessings during the time of
their loss. Which leads me to say a few words about the following...]
- SOURCES OF COMFORT DEVELOPED
- HOPE IN CHRIST...
- Our wonderful hope is for those who are faithful to Christ till
death - Re 2:10
- If we desire to have this hope, and to leave it as a legacy for
those left behind, we must be faithful servants of Christ
-- Do not wait until it is too late; you will only add to the
grief of your loved ones
- PRECIOUS MEMORIES...
- Now is the time to be making memories
- Especially memories of your faithful service to God, your
kindness to others, etc.
-- What kind of memories have you been creating lately?
- LOVE OF FAMILY, BRETHREN, FRIENDS...
- Loving relationships take time to develop
- Don't think only of family, you might outlive all of yours;
remember brethren and friends
-- What kind of relationships with people are you developing now?
- THE WORD OF GOD...
- It also takes time to become familiar with the Word of God
- To learn where to turn to find comfort, peace, and strength
-- Are you familiarizing yourself with the Bible so it can help
you in your grief?
- PRAYER...
- Prayer is of value only if we are right relationship with God
- 1Pe 3:12
- Prayer is comforting only if we are already close to God
-- Are you drawing closer to God by frequently talking to Him in
prayer?
- SONGS...
- Like the Word of God, songs comfort us when they are familiar
to us
- When we've had time to reflect, to understand what we are
singing about
-- Do you sing spiritual songs enough to find comfort in them now?
CONCLUSION
- The death of a loved one has been made easier to bear because of
God's grace...
- Jesus died to deliver us from the fear of death - He 2:14-15
- The death of a righteous person is precious in God's sight - Psa
116:15
- The loved one has finally gone home; if we remain faithful, the
separation will be temporary
- The blessings that God affords His children in time of death are so
many...
- But they must be received and acted upon
- We must act now to benefit from them in the future
Are you preparing for the reality of death? Are you doing things today
that will make the "death-day" of your loved ones (and your own) easier
to bear, even a cause for celebration...?