By Dennis Randall

Despite one’s age or health condition, losing a loved one always brings
sadness. Assuredly, we “do not sorrow as those who have no hope,” but
at the same time, we sorely miss those who have been so important to us
in life.

Confronting death is never easy. We may fully recognize life’s
frailties, acknowledge that leaving a life of pain and suffering is
better than remaining here, and yet because of love, we just can’t
find it within us to let go. Ultimately, we know we must, but we hold
on tenaciously. We even know that love supersedes death, and we’ve
watched love sustain others around us, and still death comes to us as
the grim reaper and we want life to continue, holding on to even faint
reminders of the loved one who lived in and animated the body we have
known.

It’s not just life . . . it’s love. We cannot bear love as we have
known it, coming to an end. Love is powerful. In our loss of love,
there is even greater love present in our lives. It is a love which
gives us hope . . . even beyond life. It is a love that gives us
confidence and assurance. It is a love that enables us to see beyond
the cessation of a hearbeat, and a love that prods us toward our own
eternity. It is God’s love. It is love seen on the cross. It is love
heard in the words of Jesus when he said, “He who believes in me will
live, even though he dies, and whoever lives and believes in me will
never die.

So there is sadness in the air . . .but there is also hope. We live
because of Jesus. He knows our hearts, understands our pain and
sorrow, and in a very special way ministers to us by reminding us that
death is not the end. Life has been our prelude to eternal life with
the Father, the Son and all who believed in Him and have gone on before
us. And so, for us, life goes on. With faith, hope and love, we move
into our own futures and ultimately our own death believing that “God
gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

The church exists to bring this hope and victory to our community that
does not know and has not obeyed Jesus Christ…

Father, motivate us by your love, to share your message of hope with
those who are lost. Help us as we realize our own weaknesses, to be
sensitive to the weaknesses and struggles of others. Help us to share
our hope in Christ with them. We pray this prayer through Jesus who is
our life. Amen.

YOU ARE WONDERFULLY LOVED

– Dennis Randall <>