The unexpected death of a friend or a loved one
The reality that our loved one (for those who are born again) is in heaven, certainly brings a measure of comfort for believers who are left behind! However, the pain of their absence can be overwhelming.
Even Jesus wept and was deeply moved when his friend Lazarus died. But thankfully the story didn’t end there!
Because of what Jesus said to Maratha after her brother Lazarus died in John 11:25, we too can experience a hope that will help carry us through that giant hole in our heart & feeling of emptiness in our soul after the death of someone we deeply loved … “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die.”
Paul says in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, “All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.”
Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14, “And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died.”
Finally, may we all be encouraged by what Revelation 21:1-4 says about every Christian’s eternal destination will be, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”