relationships (Mark 5:35-43) Losing a Loved One

(Mark 5:35-43)

35 While He was still speaking, people came from the house of the synagogue official, saying, “Your daughter has died; why bother the Teacher further?” 36 But Jesus, overhearing what was being spoken, said to the synagogue official, “Do not be afraid, only believe.” 37 And He allowed no one to accompany Him except Peter, James, and John the brother of James. 38 They came to the house of the synagogue official, and He saw a commotion, and people loudly weeping and wailing. 39 And after entering, He said to them, “Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child has not died, but is asleep.” 40 And they began laughing at Him. But putting them all outside, He took along the child’s father and mother and His own companions, and entered the room where the child was in bed. 41 And taking the child by the hand, He said to her, “Talitha, kum!” (which translated means, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”). 42 And immediately the girl got up and began to walk, for she was twelve years old. And immediately they were completely astonished. 43 And He gave them strict orders that no one was to know about this, and He told them to have something given her to eat.

TODAY'S TAKEAWAY:

One of the more difficult things about relationships is when we lose loved ones.  And the closer a person is to us, the more profound our loss will be.  As I get older, there are more and more of my friends and family who are passing away.  This is inevitable.  One thing that is sure in life, is that we will get sick, and we will die... unless the rapture happens while we are alive!  

For those who have put their faith in the Lord, and they pass away, we can be very confident that they are asleep in Christ...  

(1 Thessalonians 4:)  But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as indeed the rest of mankind do, who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose from the dead, so also God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep through Jesus.

.

I'm going to be very blunt about these amazingly hope-filled facts!

ABOUT THE LORD GOD:

- He is omniscient, and knows all those who will choose to believe in Him

- He desires that all come to know Him, and so He gives each person fair opportunity to make their decision for eternity

- He determines when it is a person's time to pass away

ABOUT OUR RESPONSE:

- understand that it is a temporary loss, we will miss that person, but we will see them in heaven soon enough

- it is okay to cry, but don't get stuck in an endless loop of mourning, which really is selfishness on our part, because we are missing what that person meant to us and what they did for us

- we should be happy for the ones who are asleep in Christ

- they are ASLEEP, they are not angels looking over us!  God is looking over us

- they are ASLEEP, we should not be talking to them!  We are to only pray to God!

- we need to focus on the Lord God, and then continue loving and praying for those who are still alive

In a way to prepare ourselves, always continue to put God first!  If and when we make someone else our "rock", and they pass away, we are then without our rock, and we will feel hopeless and lost, like an unbeliever.  

Jesus should be our Rock.  He is eternal.  He is love.  He is faithful.  He is sovereign (omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent)!  He should be our everything!  I'm not saying that it is easy, but the Lord will bring us healing, peace and comfort for whenever a loved one passes away - when - we keep our hope, trust, faith and eyes fixed on the Lord.