Monday, December 30, 2002
It seems so unfair that death should have the power to take away someone you love. And when it happens, the thought of never again being able to talk to, laugh with, or hold your loved one can be mist difficult to bear. That pain is not necessarily erased by being told that your loved one is up in heaven. As most grieving persons will tell you, when death takes your child, your husband, your wife, your parent, your friend, it is truly what the Christian writer Paul called it, ?the last enemy.?
The Bible however, holds out a much different hope. The Bible writer Paul offered hope of relief from that ?last enemy,? death. He wrote: ?Death is to be brought to nothing.? ?The last enemy to be abolished is death.? 1 Corinthians 15:26, The New English Bible Why could Paul be so sure of that? Because he had been taught by one who had been raised fro the dead, Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ promised that millions now dead will live again on this earth and have the prospect of remaining on it forever under peaceful, paradisaic conditions. Jesus demonstrated in a powerful that he is both willing and able to perform the resurrection.
Jesus was deeply grieved when he met a widow of Nain and saw her dead son. The Bible account tells us: ?As Jesus got near the gate of the city Nain, why, loo! There was a dead man being carried out, the only-begotten son of his mother. Besides, she was a widow. A considerable crowd from the city was also with her. And when the Lord caught sight of her, he was moved with pity for her, and he said to her: ?Stop weeping.? With that he approached and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still, and he said: ?Young man, I say to you, Get up!? And the dead man sat up and started to speak, and he gave him to his mother. Now fear seized them all, and they began to glorify God, saying: ?A great prophet has been raised up among us,? and, God has turned his attention to his people.??
Millions therefore can have the solid hope of seeing their loved ones alive again on earth but under very different circumstances. May Agnes, your loved one be among them.
Sincerely,
Ms. Floyd
