"Dear friends, don't be afraid of those who want to murder you. They can only kill the body; they have no power over your souls. But I'll tell you whom to fear- fear God who has the power to kill and then cast into hell" Luke 12:4-5 (TLB).
The death of a loved one, especially when it was not expected, can bring grief and pain like nothing else can. The suddenness and shock of it can emotionally destroy a person. Some people may never fully recover from a tragedy, such as losing a child. It is cruel and cold, but such is life.
For a Christian, though, death is not goodbye. It is not the end of anything. It is the beginning of a new and eternal residence spent with the Father and the Messiah. It is much more proper to celebrate the life and love that person had, the souls he won for Jesus Christ and his Kingdom. What did he do that will stand eternally? Fancy titles, big houses, and private jets will matter not when the earth is cleansed with fire, and will not help list his name in the Lamb's Book of Life.
If a Christian loses a Christian friend goodbye does not apply. For one has gone on ahead of us to live eternally in the presence of the Messiah, the King of Kings and the eternal, loving, Almighty God. He will be waiting to greet us at the gate. We should remember the things they did for the Kingdom, the eternal work that will survive the cleansing fire, and know that when we have done all the work Our Creator has for us here on Earth, we will be joining those who went to Heaven before us, and what a reunion that will be!
Copyright 2007 Timothy E. Davis