Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy (Psalm 126:5)
Joy in death? As I finish up this series, I wonder if there can be joy in our sorrows. God says there can be.
Many of us feel guilty for laughing and sharing stories during our sorrows when someone passes. Have you ever noticed? We feel like there must be this “mourning” period first and extreme sadness like in the Old Testament. But they did not know the eternal life, when Christ came and brought us life.
For our loved one is now standing in the meadows of complete healing, joy, and love; truthfully, they would not come back even if they could.
There can be humor even in the worst of circumstances. Maybe not right away. But God doesn’t want us to live in pain forever. He wants us to learn to live again.
I read a story where there was an actual letter that came from Health and Human Services to a resident of Greenville County, South Carolina: "Your food stamps will be stopped, effective March 1992, because we received notice that you passed away. May God bless you? You may reapply if your circumstances change." (S. Bowen Matthews, Wilmington, Delaware. Leadership, Vol. 17, no. 3. ) Now wouldn’t that be interesting??!! I might be tempted to reapply....
Unless we are lucky to be here when the Rapture comes, we will all experience death. To dread death is a waste of our precious gift of life.
And after all, we know the rest of the story.
There is hope, there is a future….
There is eternity and we are living it right now.
God Bless
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5 little hearts from you...:
You always know how to make someone think, and lift their hearts. I love you my sweet friend.
There is great joy waiting for us.
I guess it is good God is in charge of when our time is over. If not as soon as a loved one stepped into eternity--everyone they loved would end up there with them.
I am really enjoying your blog. Having just lost my father this year I am experiencing so much of what you are writing about.
I miss my father so very much and it hurts watching mom go without her soul mate. But we do rejoice in the fact that he is with his Father. I don't know how people go without the hope and knowing of our Saviour, do you?
Our family tradition has always been getting together and talking about the one who has begun eternity in heaven with much laughter and tears. It is always hard to go to funerals/memorial services and have to wait to see what kind of atmoshphere there is and then act accordingly so as not to upset the family.
When Chris' older brother died the first year of our marriage, I leanred a wonderful lesson about how Christians handle death...they laughed and cried and told stories. It was so healthy! My family would have been blaming the doctors or the system and looking for someone to sue. It taught me how to live and how to handle death. I am blessed to be a part of their family.
Praying for you this week!
Love,
Holly
Hearts from You!