In the Face of Death

An initial confrontation with the loss of a significant friend, family member, neighbor or co-worker often triggers a conscious and sometimes overwhelming sense of grief. Many who have studied the emotional trauma of grief have observed the wide range of emotions that often accompany such an experience. Christians are strongly advantaged in dealing with the loss of another Christian when we take hold of the promises of God and give witness in faith and trust to the provisions of God.

Familiar scripture verses such as John 3:16 remind us of the basic truth of God’s love for each of us. The Psalms are rich in their capacity to reflect our emotions of pain, to plea for God’s remedy to our crisis, and to complain honestly regarding our sense of helplessness in the face of tragic circumstance. These same Psalms likewise point us to the grace and mercy of God, bring forth an acknowledgement of His presence and power to sustain us and testify to the never failing love of God for those who trust in Him. Psalm 23, Psalm 121, Psalm 90, and many others call us to recognize God’s power to supply the needs of our lives in every generation.

Death is an experience that all will face at some point in time. In fact, those who make intentional efforts to avoid encounters with loss by engineering escapes from funeral home visitation, funerals, or memorial services, do themselves a disservice by pretending death will not “affect them.” It already has. The fear associated with the experiences of loss are a witness to our lack of preparation. Learning about life in Christ is the remedy, as we put our faith and trust in Him.