THEREFORE COMFORT ONE ANOTHER

A friend and co-worker of mine died yesterday. She worked at my establishment for some 30 years and I have worked alongside her 22 of those 30. Cancer finally wore her body down. She is a Christian and that is the sustaining comfort, strength and hope I have for myself and others even though I will still miss her in the meantime. 

There is a saying, Two things are for certain - death and taxes. For the Christian there is also Hope. Hope that Faith in Love personified, Christ Jesus, accomplished our secured position at The Table in His House in Heaven. By Faith in Christ's words "It is finished" and His manifested proof of victory over death, hell and the grave - an empty tomb - Christians have the best foundation for Hope.

The Holy Spirit inspired Paul to encourage the believers in Thessolonica and down through the ages of this Hope when he said, "But we would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope." (1 Thess. 4:13) Grief is a powerful emotion that can lead to other entrapments or disorders if not checked or dealt with properly. This is why counselors encourage journaling, speaking to a trusted friend, creating or singing a song to express one's grief and overcome the loss. 

The rest of the 1 Thessolonian passage describes The Hope for Christians whether their bodies are dead and their spirits are with the Lord OR whether the Christian is alive serving The Lord on the earth. The passage reads -

"For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first; then we who are alive, who are left, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words."

Notice the last sentence. Not only are we to comfort one another in the time of loss, but we are to comfort one another with this particular reminder; with this particular Hope - Therefore Comfort One Another.