There Is A Reason To Hope

The Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Corinth about death and life after death. He quoted the Old Testament Jewish prophets Isaiah and Hosea. For centuries, believers have gained comfort from Paul’s words. “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 1 Corinthians 15:54-55 (NLT) At first glance, someone could assume that death should not be painful or “sting.” The assumption could also be made that grieving, depression, crying and even weeping should not be part of a believer’s response to death. That somehow, death is no big deal. “Get over it” people advise. A close reading of Paul’s words contradicts the simple assumptions that result from careless reading. Paul wrote: “Our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies. THEN, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, … ‘Death is swallowed up in victory… .” Paul wasn’t glossing over the pain caused by the death of a loved one. He wasn’t minimizing the brutal loneliness, paralyzing silence, and the loss of touch that the death of a loved one brings. Death hurts. Death stinks. Death is not fair. The stinger of death will ultimately be painless when temporary bodies are transformed into forever bodies. The final blow to death occurs when “dying bodies are transformed into bodies that will never die.” Then believers will declare, “Death is swallowed up in victory!” Paul was trying to breathe hope into believers. He told the church in Thessalonica, “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.” 1 Thessalonians 4:13 (NLT) Paul understood grieving. He experienced grief. He watched people grieve, who have no hope. He watched people grieve, who believed life on earth is all there is to someone’s existence. He saw what happens to people who have no hope of reuniting with loved ones after their earthly life was over. But Paul knew there is something more. There is a reason to hope. Those who die as followers of Jesus open a door and step into an eternal kingdom beyond EVERYONE’S wildest imagination. Once people have been to the eternal kingdom, no one thinks about coming back to earth.

Find Peace

I have been thinking about a statement by Corrie ten Boom, a Nazi concentration camp survivor, that is pertinent to what we are currently going through. I hope that her statement will encourage you and give you a needed nudge in the direction of Jesus.

“If you look at the world, you’ll be distressed. If you look within, you’ll be depressed. But if you look at Christ, you’ll be at rest.” Corrie ten Boom

The 24-hour, minute-to-minute, news cycle makes it hard to not look at the world. Just going to the grocery store and seeing everyone waiting in lines to get into the store, wearing masks, and avoiding each other is enough to cause distress.

“Sheltering in”, not interacting with people you work with, play with or share life with can lead to depression and loneliness. Especially for those who live alone!

Twenty-seven hundred years ago, the prophet Isaiah wrote of peace that comes from focusing on Jesus. He wrote: “You, LORD, give true peace to those who depend on you, because they trust you.” Isaiah 26:3 (NCV)

Push away the view of what is happening in the world, push away the view from the inside, look to the Lord, depend on him, put your trust in Him and peace, “true peace” will be yours.

Jesus, teach us to depend on you and trust you! AMEN