Sudden Impact

Im attending the funeral of my friend today. According to the weather forecast, it is going to be an unusually bitterly cold and windy day; I suppose it is fitting for the circumstance. I would guess that his family is awake at this very moment filled with dread and overwhelmed with sadness; I do not envy them. I have been in similar circumstance. Losing a loved one suddenly without warning cannot be described with words, it can only be felt. It is bad enough if one can see it coming such as the case of someone desperately ill for a lengthy period, but when it is totally unexpected, it is especially difficult to get through it all. A bright, young successful man full of life with a lifetime of great promise ahead of him gone in a cruel senseless moment, two wonderful daughters 15 and 19 who were especially close to their father who loved them with all of his heart coping with devastating loss, Christmas just around the corner, a young loving wife now a widow, how cruel it all seems.



By now they have been through a grueling, punishing process. The gut-wrenching shock of the sudden impact when the initial call was received, selecting a casket and vault, selecting the favorite hymns and music that will be solemnly sung and played today, asking lifelong friends to be pallbearers, finding a final resting place, writing an obituary, viewing a husband/father/friends lifeless shell, hosting a viewing and trying to smile and be strong in front of those paying their respects, viewing photos from happier days gone by, crying uncontrollably, and dreading seeing an empty grave that will receive a shiny casket later today and then having to face the empty void that will follow…it hurts, it hurts!



Initially there was no death. God warned Adam and Eve that if they were to violate His command, they would surely die. Satan told Eve that she would not surely die. When she put her trust in satan and rejected and disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden, death descended upon mankind with a mean, sickening vengeance beginning with a cruel murder, just as God had warned, Death has been inherited by us all and has been tormenting us ever since. Deaths sting is harsh, but it has been defeated by Jesus Christ. God provides a way to permanently defeat death and its punishing devastation. His righteous nature cannot tolerate unpunished sin; therefore He sent His perfect Son, Jesus Christ, who knew no sin as a righteous sacrifice that satisfies a royal higher law that we cannot fully understand. Jesus took Adam and Eves punishment, Cain and Abels punishment, and all of mankind through the ages right down to you and me. So now thousands of years after our distant relatives made their fatal mistake, we again have a choice. We can choose to follow God and Jesus Christ, or we can follow satan. There will be no more second chances. This is it. Trust and obey God and enjoy eternity with God, or follow satan and suffer eternal separation from God and everlasting punishment that cannot be imagined..



My friend understood this and accepted Jesus as His Savior long ago. The only solace we will receive today is our knowledge that His Father has called him home to a place of utter peace. He is with Jesus eternally protected from death, sin, sadness, and he will never endure tears, heartbreak, sadness or death again. As for us, we will suffer, but we will be consoled in time and we will endure because that same loving God has already sent His Comforter to console our grief and help us bear the heavy burden. When our personal journey is over and we are called home, the victory over satan and his sin and death will have been won. 10,000 years from now we will just be getting started basking in Gods glory and enjoying all of the wonderful, wonderful things He has in store for us that eye has not seen, nor ear ever heard. The Bible teaches us to look to the future and not behind. Please pray that peace will come quickly to the family and friends who are suffering this cruel day.

Jude 1;24

Now to him who is able to

keep you from stumbling

And to present you faultless,

Before the presence of His

glory with exceeding joy,

To God our savior

Who alone is wise,

Be glory and majesty,

Dominion and power,

Both now and forever.

Amen

How well do you know the Bible?

Only prayer and much meditation has ever made me understand the concept outlined what the Bible teaches concerning, we should count it all joy when we face tribulations knowing that the testing of our faith produces ___________? Fill in the blank. Hint: We must look beyond the tree and look to the forest…



James 1:2







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