If you worry because it seems to you that hearts are too hard and that tears flow only once in a while, then let me take you to a place where men's knees bend and women's tears run in torrents.
For the Lord Himself with a loud voice, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God, will come down from heaven. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who live, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to receive the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore, encourage one another with these words. 1 Thessalonians 4. 1 6 - 1 8
If you are one of those people who have to be reminded of how fragile human beings are, I have a scene to remind you of. The next time you think that people have become too stoic and self-sufficient, I would like to take you to visit a place.
If you worry because it seems to you that hearts are too hard and that tears flow only once in a while, then let me take you to a place where men's knees bend and women's tears run in torrents. Let me take you to a school so you can watch the parents leaving their children in the classroom on the first day of school.
It is a traumatic scene. Long after the school bell has sounded and classes have begun, adults linger around forming groups and supporting each other with words of encouragement. Even when they know that school is good, that education is of a good standard, and that they will see their children again in four short hours, they refuse to say goodbye.
We do not like to say goodbye to loved ones.
But what is lived in the schools at the beginning of each school year is a picnic compared to what is experienced in a cemetery. It is one thing to leave a loved one in a family environment, but quite another to dismiss them because they are going to a world that we do not know and that we can not describe.
Do you remember the first time death forced you to say goodbye? "
We do not like to say goodbye to loved ones.
But we have to do it. Although we try to avoid it and we do not like to talk about it, death is a very real part of life. At some point each of us must let go of the hand of someone we love to let someone take it who we do not see.
Do you remember the first time death forced you to say goodbye? Most of us remember it. One day when I was in third grade, I came back from school and was surprised to see my father's truck parked in front of the house. I found him shaving in the bathroom. "Uncle Buck died," he told me. Your announcement saddened me. I wanted my uncle. I did not know him very well, but I wanted him. The news also aroused curiosity in me.
At the funeral I heard words such as leaving, dying, going ahead. These were strange terms for me. I asked myself, Starting where? Dying to what? Go ahead for how long?
Of course, since then I have learned that I am not the only one asking questions about death. Listen to any conversation about the return of Christ, and someone will ask: "But what about those who have already died? What happens to Christians between his death and the return of Christ?
Apparently, the church in Thessaloniki was asking such questions. That is why Paul tells them: "Neither do we want you, brothers, to be ignorant about those who sleep, so that you do not grieve like the others who have no hope" (1 Thes 4.13),
The church in Thessalonica had buried some of his beloved brothers. And Paul wanted the remaining members to live in peace despite those who had gone ahead. Many of you have also buried loved ones. And just as God spoke to the people of Thessalonica, he speaks to you.
If this year it's your turn to celebrate your wedding anniversary alone, He speaks to you.
If your son went to heaven before going to kindergarten, He speaks to you.
If you lose a loved one in an accident, if you learned more than you would have wanted about an illness, if your dreams were buried while the coffin was placed on earth, God speaks to you.
He speaks to all of us who have stopped or have to stand on the soft dust near an open grave. And this word of confidence tells us: "I want you to know what happens to a Christian when he dies, so that when such a thing happens, you will not be filled with sorrow like those who have no hope. Because if we believe that Jesus died and came back to life again, we can also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring with Him all the Christians who have died "(1 Thess 4: 13-14).
God transforms our sorrow and despair into hope-filled sorrow. How? Telling us that we will see our loved ones again.