"When People Die"

When someone dies we often ask,

Why must it be this way,

When God Almighty has the pow’r,

To stop death’s threat okay.

But He allows it all the time,

Both young and old alike,

And some just blame God’s sovereignty,

And point to Job’s sad plight.

Other says it’s all God’s wrath,

He’s mad because of sin,

But hard to think that’s what it is,

When bigger sinners continue in.

Our loved ones go into God’s arms,

And from their point of view,

Escaped from all this sadness here,

And eternally are new.

They’d never come back here again,

Even if they could,

And so we know they’re happy there,

Where all is well and good.

We can’t make sense of everything,

The mysteries are deep,

But we can trust the Lord above,

His promises to keep.

And in the end we’ll see again,

All the ones we’ve lost,

Because we trust in Jesus Christ,

His blood has paid the cost.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort whose who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4, NAS)

Paul calls Him the “God of all comfort.” When tragedy occurs, hearts break and loved ones are torn from us we wonder if we will ever get over it. The fact is we don’t get over it but we do get through it. That’s because the debilitating pain of loss does is not sustained in its intensity. That’s because God gives comforting grace. Not, mind you, because He answers every question. Some things can only be left in His hands as something we can’t fully understand. But in the end the comfort we receive is something that can be shared with others. We do it in the name of Jesus and the ones we have lost.

Lord, comfort all those who are broken-hearted, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Shawn Cameron, used by permission. Thanks, Shawn, and God bless you.