1 Corinthians 15:55
“O death, where is thy sting?
O grave, where is thy victory?”
As I walked through the center courtyard at Jordan Creek Mall, the chorus to the familiar Christmas song “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” rang out. The popular song is a celebration of the holiday season that quickly puts the listener in the mood for Christmas.
Celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ is the most wonderful time of the year. December 25th marks the day the long-awaited Messiah came into the world to free us from the grip of sin and death. We celebrate His birth with family and friends. We attend Christmas parties, enjoy our favorite holiday foods, and delight in the wonder and excitement dancing in our children’s eyes. However, for those who have lost loved ones, the holiday season can be an especially sad and painful time. Although on the outside they may appear joyful, sorrow lurks just beneath the surface.
I’m so thankful we have a Savior who knows the grief and pain experienced from the death of a loved one. In John Chapter 11, the Bible tells us that Jesus wept with Mary and Martha over the death of their brother Lazarus.
As Christians, we may mourn the death of a loved one, but the Bible tells us not to mourn as those who have no hope. 1 Thessalonians 4:13 says, “Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.” As believers in Christ, we mourn as if our loved one has gone away on a long trip, remembering with full assurance that after awhile we will see them again.
Because of the work Jesus Christ did on the cross for us, we have hope! For the believer, death has no sting, and the grave has no victory! Jesus has conquered the grave!
So, dear one, if you are struggling this holiday season with the death of a believer who has passed on before you, remember that your sorrow has not gone unnoticed. God sees your struggle, and He reminds you in His Word that this struggle is only temporary. You will see them again.
Hebrews 10:23
“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful.”
While I'm Waiting 