Liz’s Morning Devotional: Scripture selected from Upper Room
April 26, 2023
John 11:32-36
32 When Mary arrived where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother wouldn’t have died.” 33 When Jesus saw her crying and the Jews who had come with her crying also, he was deeply disturbed and troubled. 34 He asked, “Where have you laid him?” They replied, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Jesus began to cry. 36 The Jews said, “See how much he loved him!”
Good Morning, Blessed be our God who loves us!
Today’s passage leads us down a difficult path. Working through the grief of a loved one is the hardest thing that we are called to do. When death follows an extended illness, we like to think that during the illness we have prepared ourselves for the eventuality of our loved ones passing. When our loved one reaches old age, again, we know that at some point, their time on earth is coming to a close. In each of these cases, we have had time to prepare, but truly I tell you that it doesn’t make the loss easier.
The sudden, unexpected loss of a loved one is heartbreaking. Whether it is the result of an accident or an unknown health issue, we are in shock and find ourselves struggling to understand how this could have happened. Sometimes family members will ask themselves, “Why did God do this or allow this to happen?”
First, our God, our Creator, who loves us so deeply that he sent Jesus to bear our sins and, through his death and resurrection, save us, does not cause the death of our loved ones. God blesses, or perhaps curses, us with free will. Free will allows us to live our lives and make choices. Sometimes our choices lead us to problems, and certainly, the choices of others often affect our lives. Our time on earth is a blessing from God, but our earthly form is but a temporary place. Our heavenly life is eternal. Praise be to God.
So, for now, we grieve the loss of our loved ones. As we weep, God weeps beside us. When we are too weary to stand, God lifts us up. When we are angry, God listens as we voice our frustration. We are not alone. By the grace of God, we will be reunited with our loved ones. What a day of rejoicing that will be!
In the meantime, we will love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. We will love our neighbors as ourselves. We will laugh, cry, pray, worship, read, and shout praises to God as we work to serve one another. Our God is an awesome God who reigns from heaven above. With wisdom, power, and love, our God is an awesome God.
Blessed God, We thank you for Your blessings. Let us see your glory during our times of trouble. Thank You! In the name of Christ, we pray. Amen
Thought for the day: When I weep, God weeps with me.
God is Good! All the time! Pastor Liz
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