Comfort In Times of Loss
Death is a painful reality. We often spend our day going about our busyness, pushing the thought of death far from our minds. Yet when it occurs, we are never truly ready for it. For some it occurs in accordance with an earlier diagnosis. But others, it’s sudden, unexpected, and for all of those affected, it leaves them feeling crushed and numb. Life doesn’t make much sense now that a person deeply loved has passed on.
The bible makes it clear that in the beginning when God made man(Genesis 1-3), life was supposed to be endless. An unending communion between man and his maker. But because of the fall (Genesis 3) and the devastation of sin, death has broken into reality and sadly everything leans toward decay.
Words of comfort feel hard to offer to those suffering bereavement unless the source of those words are found in the scriptures.
Firstly, a verse from Psalms 34:18,”The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” In Psalm 34, David is rejoicing in God’s deliverance from the hand of Abimelech. He talks about God answering his call when he prayed and considers the protection God gives. He calls those in times of distress to turn to God and wait for him, explaining that God is close to those who cry out to him(Psalm 34:17).
And then he goes deeper, proclaiming that God is especially near to those who are brokenhearted and have a crushed spirit.
God sees our pain and sorrow. In spite of what some may believe, God is full of loving compassion(Exodus 34:6). In times of heavy sorrow we can call out to God to help us cope through the difficulty and remember that he never leave or forsakes us.(Hebrews 13:5)
Secondly, the compassion and pity of Christ is on large display within the gospels. This is evidently understood when he says “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”(Matthew 5:4).
His sympathy and comfort is largely displayed towards Mary and Martha at the death of Lazarus.
“I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he dies, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”(John 11:25-26).
At this point in John’s gospel, Lazarus has passed away and Jesus has come over to Judea to see Lazarus’ sisters, Mary and Martha. When he arrives Martha comes to him distraught wondering where Christ was all this time her brother was ill. Yet even in her grief she shows signs of faith in him, knowing that Christ has the ability to ask God for whatever he wants. Jesus tries to comfort her with reassuring words, words which she hears but doesn’t fully grasp the full extent of their meaning. So Jesus intensifies his statement. He assures her that he himself is the Resurrection and Life. Anyone who has faith in him will always live even in spite of death.
For the christian, death is not the final say. They have a true everlasting life that comes from Christ through faith in Him. For the christian brothers and sisters, they will see them again in the final resurrection at the end of the age. They will be able to enjoy an eternal fellowship of God and His people throughout the ages. This is a comfort for those whose lost loved one in the Lord. To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8).
In Christ, death doesn’t have the final say, because Jesus himself experienced death’s cold grasp. He is the one who, throughout Good Friday, had his heart broken and spirit completely crushed by the wrath of God on the cross. He endured mocking, hatred and ultimate rejection, dying a pitiful death. And then on Easter Sunday, he resurrected to a new Life. Bold and incorruptible. Death has no claim on him and decay has been vanquished. And through faith in Jesus, we too can experience this incorruptible and indestructible life with Christ in heaven.
Jesus is the door by which we have access to eternal life which stretches on throughout eternity. If we place our hopes in a gracious saviour, filled with love and compassion, though we die and our christian loved ones pass away, we shall meet again by heaven’s glorious gates.
-Henry Onwordi