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GRIP Thoughts - July 21, 2016

If you are like me, you have had some experience with death. Not personally as yet, but in terms of friends and loved ones around me. I am not an expert on it by any means, but I have had to navigate it from a few different perspectives.

In January of 1983 my grandfather passed away and later that year two of my cousins died. (My cousins and I were all about 16 years old at the time.) In 1985, on my nineteenth birthday, we drove to BC for the funeral of my grandmother. My Dad passed away in 1988. My last two grandparents passed away in 1996 and 2000 and then my sister passed away in 2005 and my step brother in 2009.   

In my experience, even in the best of circumstances death is never an easy thing. From what I have seen, I don’t think there is a “good way” to go or a “right way” to die. Going quickly has advantages and disadvantages. Going slowly has advantages and disadvantages. Going “naturally” or “tragically” both provoke strife of some sort. I haven’t come across the perfect way for a loved one to go where, for those left, there is no difficulty to navigate. Even in the best of circumstances, I have found that death comes with some challenges. 

For me the worst part of having loved ones die is the hole that they leave. It is hard not having them around. Often I still find myself wanting to get their advice, or looking forward to telling them some news, or having them around to experience something together with me. 

Maybe that is why I appreciate so much Thessalonians chapter 4 verses 13-18. All of my grandparents, both of my cousins, my dad, my sister and my step brother were all Christians. They had each chosen to place their faith in Jesus to pay the penalty of their sin. And because of that I take great comfort in this passage.

Because Jesus died as the payment for the penalty of our sin, and because me and these members of my family accepted that free gift, I have the hope that I will see them again. I don’t grieve like others that have no hope. I know exactly where they are and that I will get to see them again. They have not ceased to exist. They are not just a memory. They are waiting for me to join them one day. So as difficult as it is to not have them around now, I know this is just temporary. Soon I will catch up to them and that will be so great.

But this passage is also a stark reminder that many others are not as fortunate as I am in that they do not have this confidence. The thought of having to live without any real hope or faith that they will get to see their loved ones again must be almost unbearable.

With that in mind, the “Good News” that Jesus loves us and wants us all to be in heaven with Him, and has made a way for that to happen is really phenomenal news and I need to do everything I can to help others find that news too.

-Doug Baynton
(Lead Pastor)

Categories: Bible , Grip