Grieving…

And the Lord afflicted the child that Uriah’s wife bore to David, and he became sick. David therefore sought God on behalf of the child. And David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground. And the elders of his house stood beside him, to raise him from the ground, but he would not, nor did he eat food with them. On the seventh day the child died. And the servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they said, “Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spoke to him, and he did not listen to us. How then can we say to him the child is dead? He may do himself some harm.” But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David understood that the child was dead. And David said to his servants, “Is the child dead?” They said, “He is dead.” Then David arose from the earth and washed and anointed himself and changed his clothes. And he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped. He then went to his own house. And when he asked, they set food before him, and he ate. Then his servants said to him, “What is this thing that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive; but when the child died, you arose and ate food.” He said, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept, for I said, ‘Who knows whether the Lord will be gracious to me, that the child may live?’ But now he is dead. Why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me.” (2 Samuel 12:15–23)

Grief can take many forms. The saddest are those that feel it deeply and for the rest of their lives. Everything reminds them of their loss and they feel hopeless and unable to experience joy or purpose. The funerals are sad, if there is one, and the promises of God are not mentioned nor the hope we have in Him.

Most dictionaries define hope as a desire for something, a ‘hope so’ or wish. That is not biblical hope. God promises eternal life, and because of His nature, faith knows that what He offers is true. He proves it by raising raised His Son from the dead.

Yet even before that happened, David knew it would. God puts “eternity in our hearts” as part of the changes that occur through faith, but may not realize that  faith is the answer to the sorrow of grief. David knew he would see his son again, just as I know I will see Jesus — and my parents, and my sister and many more loved ones again. This hope is based on God’s promise and on the resurrection of Jesus. Both are evidence that prove He can and will deliver on His promise:

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, 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 fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:13–18)

Death has been viewed as our enemy and we fight it, as if we never want it to happen, but the Bible views it as seeing Jesus and becoming like Him (1 John 3:1-3). For shame that anyone would see that as a bad thing.

Jesus, every day I pray and often sing my desire to be like You. You make that happen as I see You as You are, not my genie whose only goal is comfort and granting my wishes, but as the King of kings and Lord of lords who has given me the hope of eternal life. My death is not ceasing to live but merely a change of address and moving to a far better place to live than this one.

 

The answer is in the bigger picture . . .

 

 

READ Psalm 81–85

On my walk through the nearby wildlife sanctuary, I noticed buds on trees, little birds singing, the details of new life along the path. Only once did I stop and survey the bigger picture of a large valley, the sky and the vista before me.

I’m like that reading the Bible, seeing the details, trying to figure out the big picture by the small verses. However, the Lord gave me an eternal perspective as I wondered what news I’d hear today about the war in Europe. His Spirit spoke quietly to my spirit: “Those who belong to me and die are now with me; those who rejected me are now facing justice for their unbelief.”

This thought settled my anxiety. In the big picture, all will die. Some by ill health, accidents, some by the sword or bombs or bullets. No one escapes death — but it is possible to escape eternal judgment. This is the good news of the Gospel of faith in Jesus Christ. Right now, the division is being made on a battlefield, but it is also made in every hospital, every workplace, every city, every home, even every heart and every day. Today’s reading gives short descriptions of it, just as will every newspaper, newscast, and obituary column.

But my people did not listen to my voice; Israel would not submit to me. So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts, to follow their own counsels. Oh, that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways! I would soon subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes. (Psalm 81:11–14)

Is not the above being played out in the world even today? Those who say “NO” to God are left to their own devices and the result is power struggles, greed, confusion, and unkindness to one another. Some aspire to good deeds that eventually give in to the human sinfulness hiding in their ambitions and those who know the Lord wonder when all this nonsense will end:

“How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? Selah Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” They have neither knowledge nor understanding, they walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken. (Psalm 82:2–5)

In my distress over the evil in the world and the sin that sometimes grabs hold of my own heart, I’ve prayed something like the psalmist prayed:

“O God, do not keep silence; do not hold your peace or be still, O God! For behold, your enemies make an uproar; those who hate you have raised their heads. They lay crafty plans against your people; they consult together against your treasured ones. They say, ‘Come, let us wipe them out as a nation; let the name of Israel (or any other nation) be remembered no more!’” . . .  “O my God, make them like whirling dust, like chaff before the wind. As fire consumes the forest, as the flame sets the mountains ablaze, so may you pursue them with your tempest and terrify them with your hurricane! Fill their faces with shame, that they may seek your name, O Lord. Let them be put to shame and dismayed forever; let them perish in disgrace, that they may know that you alone, whose name is the Lord, are the Most High over all the earth.” (Psalm 83:1–4; 13–18)

I know that “The Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly” and that He, the Lord of hosts, blesses those who trust in Him, (Psalm 84:11–12) but I also know that this is more about an eternal blessing because this life does not always serve us the perfection that we crave. The saints who are slaughtered by illness, accidents and war nevertheless are blessed by God’s favor in eternity, a forever ‘good thing’ that others will never know, no matter how ‘successful’ they might be in this short life. For this, I can trust God, even when this life is messy, not what anyone wants, and at times seems anything but a blessing.

Let me hear what God the Lord will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints; but let them not turn back to folly. Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him, that glory may dwell in our land. Steadfast love and faithfulness meet; righteousness and peace kiss each other. Faithfulness springs up from the ground, and righteousness looks down from the sky. Yes, the Lord will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase. Righteousness will go before him and make his footsteps a way. (Psalm 85:8–13)

Jesus, I trust in your promises. They may or may not show up for Your people in this life, but this life is not all there is — as You proved by defeating death and rising to live forever as my Sun and Shield, the Most High God over all the earth!