Several years ago I lived through a nightmare. A very close friend lost his thirteen year old son. He was a good kid, a little bit goofy, but a handsome young man who sparkled with innocence and energy. The doctors did not save him; there was no option for an experimental drug or miracle treatment. In a terrible accident, this teenager died — a healthy boy who awakened that morning with his whole life ahead of him; a child lying in a funeral home that night.
It was horrible.
My friend and I sat on the back porch late into the evening. I could feel the emptiness, the darkness of Dad’s soul. I’ve never felt more helpless; it was so final, and it felt so unfair, unnatural and wrong. I spoke at the funeral. I was angry. I was angry with the boy, I was angry with me . . . and I was angry toward God. Death was not welcomed, it was wretched. By faith I summoned words to convey a better life to come and how we would all see our young friend someday in heaven. The whole time I never once doubted that God is good, and that we can trust Him. But, I can still remember the anger.
Today I pen a thought or two for the Simple Sabbath post for the Red Dirt Chronicles. It’s Good Friday. My post is for Easter weekend. I am embracing every emotion from my life encounters with pain, suffering, fear, hopelessness and death. Like many other Christians, I have conflicting feelings about such things. For instance, I know that death is not the way it’s supposed to be, I know it is a bad thing. And I also know that death is not final. Death is the great enemy, but it has been defeated and will be conquered fully. What are we to say about it?
EASTER ! ! ! *Resurgam!
The darkness and hopelessness of Crucifixion Friday seemed final. The cause of Christ was over. But NO! Resurrection Sunday begins the revolution!!! Pain, suffering and death all have a bitter Foe. Resurrection Sunday changes everything. Everything!
Luke 24
1 On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. 5 In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here; he has risen!
Now see Him as John did. In the Revelation we look to the risen King.
Revelation 21
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” 5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!”
Christ is making all things new . . . His sword is drawn, He calls to arms… “FOLLOW ME!” and Love wages war.
~~~
*resurgam – many tombstones and memorials were once inscribed with the Latin word resurgam, which means “I shall arise.”