July 14: THOUGHTS ON DEATH AND GRIEF

I appreciate the work of Hospice. They are a great support for the ministry of the church. It is especially helpful when they send folks to a local congregation to teach classes on grief education. They are always open to anyone in the community.
Perhaps these classes should start with little children. You never know when you will need this information. Adults, including many senior adults, have never learned how to deal with death and grieving. Amazing that death is such a part of our lives but we don’t teach people how to deal with death. As a result, we don’t know how to grieve either. Unresolved grief can haunt a person’s life. Unanswered questions, or even undiscussed questions about death can haunt a person’s life, also.
Death is a reality, why try to evade it in polite conversation? Christians are forced to deal with it at the very beginning of the Christian experience. “Man is destined to die once and after that to face judgement.” (Hebrews 9:27) When you take the step of faith that deals with this fact, then you are free to have a healthy view of death. Paul asked, “O death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory?” (1 Corinthians 15:55)
Faith takes the over-riding fear of the unknown out of death. Christian people should be able to have sensible conversations about it. This would lead to much grief resolution. Open discussion about guilt feelings, anger at God, apologies left unmade, forgiveness not given, and such like, would be ventilated.
Did you ever wonder about the people who are closest to you? What are your thoughts on death? Could they be waiting for you to bring up the subject?
People could save their families a great deal of stress when they die if they would go ahead now and pre-plan their funeral service with their minister. Know this: “Death has been swallowed up in victory”. (1 Corinthians 15:54) Claim the victory!

“Yes, God, we know that Death is our final enemy and we know, too, that
Jesus has made us victorious over the grave. Praise the Lord! Amen”