F4S: He lost his dear dad and of course.. is now feelin' it. A lot.

Tuesday, March 19, 2019

He lost his dear dad and of course.. is now feelin' it. A lot.

It happens cuz we're livin' in a fallen world. It's not how it was originally meant to be here, but will one day be fixed by the Lord.
Anyway, I’ve got a friend in the Northeast who writes me weekly, and wrote again today. He sadly lost his believing dad to cancer about a month ago. So many have -- I hate cancer, but I love heaven and love the King of heaven a lot more! 
Not easy at all to work through that passing here -- I can’t really imagine. I am so grateful for my straightforward, kind Christian dad. 
I didn’t know exactly what to say, often don't immediately, but have been listening, asking a few questions and sharing a few verses just to try and comfort him. 

He used to always say.. “Dad, see you in the daylight” when he went to bed. Said it at the end too. And he will. 

Now my friend explains to me, “I will see him in the light of heaven someday.” He loved and loves Christ – the Bible Jesus.  

I too like to say that when a brother or sis passes.. See you later, beloved.
We each can find comfort friends.. like after the death of a parent. 
The death of a parent (or any family member) can be truly taxing on a Christian. Even when the one we have lost is a believer, it is never easy to say goodbye, especially if the bereavement was sudden. Grieving for our loved ones is appropriate and expected; Christ Himself wept at the gravesite of His friend Lazarus (John 11:35). The Bible provides consolation, and we as Christians can find comfort even in the loss of someone so dear to us.
In the loss of a Christian parent, the greatest comfort a believer has is the hope and confidence that our relationship with our parents does not end at death. A Christian who has lost a Christian parent can rest in the promise that there will be a reunion in heaven. Our parent is currently with Christ, experiencing His joy (2 Corinthians 5:8). At the time of the resurrection, all who have accepted Christ will be glorified and given incorruptible bodies (1 Corinthians 15:42–44; John 11:25). For the Christian, Christ has conquered death! As Paul gladly writes in 1 Corinthians 15:54–57, “‘Death has been swallowed up in victory!’ ‘Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Losing a parent can be more difficult if we are uncertain of our parent’s salvation. But we can still cling to the promises of God and seek Him for comfort. We look forward to the time when all things shall be made new, and trust that He is just and good.
The God of the Bible delights in comforting the afflicted and healing the heartbroken (Jeremiah 17:14; 2 Corinthians 1:3–4; 7:6). He is “a father to the fatherless” (Psalm 68:5). When we are grieved by the loss of our loved ones, God is quick to offer us His peace. In the midst of our mourning, we can know the presence of God with us; even in our sorrow, we can draw near to Him in prayer and worship. As believers, we also do not have to grieve alone. We have others in the Body of Christ who will help bear the burden, share the pain, and “mourn with those who mourn” (Romans 12:15).
The loss of our parents can be deeply painful but you with the Lord can get through this. God can help you in a big way. The pain might come and g.. particularly since the person played such a key role in shaping our lives. Indeed, our parents are often the ones who comfort us when we are hurting, and to lose them can feel like we are losing our emotional support. But Christians can take heart in that we find comfort in more than our families; the very God of Creation, who knows us better than we know ourselves, understands our pain and is eager to grow us and heal us and give us His peace. Do you know the Lord in a personal way? You can right now. God bless you. Go for Him.