Yet, It Still Stings!

TheDiscipleMD

It was a cold dreary afternoon and the evening was coming on when my wife and I stood by the graveside of my Mother. It was misty and we needed a small flashlight to read the engraving.  We talked about her life, shared memories, and then we got back in the car and continued on our journey home, which was several hours away.  As we drove away that day I said something that is very common to all who have lost a loved one. I looked at my wife and said, “It is just so strange that someone so alive and vibrant can just disappear. And although I know she lives on; yet her death still stings!”

I am keenly aware of the words of the apostle Paul, who wrote to the Corinthians that death is swallowed up in victory by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and that he declared, “O death, where is thy sting? (Corinth. 15:55)  I am also cognizant of the pangs of suffering that we all go through when death knocks on the doors of our loved one, and that it’s sting will only be soothed when “this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality…” It is only then that our pain of separation will be soothed and the saying shall be brought to pass that “Death is swallowed up in victory.” (1 Corinthians 15:54)

Till that day, we are under the rules of mortality and the pangs of suffering of separation are real,  and they will not be fully soothed till the time of the resurrection.  Death, has not yet been ‘swallowed up in victory’ because the game of life is still going on.

As my wife and I drove home from my mother’s grave that night the shadows of the evening flickered across the car through the mist of the night.  I pall began to overcome me. And while I was left pensively pondering the pain of death, I also began to marvel at the plan of salvation and the hope of the resurrection. And I, once again, began to feel the light and hope of the gospel and the mist of darkness, and the pangs of separation began to be replaced with faith in the redemption of Jesus Christ which in turn gave me great joy and hope for the future!

The greatest blessing of the gospel is knowing that in time victory will be ours if we follow the commandments as given to us by a loving Father. Victory over death is not here today, but it is like a ship on the horizon. We can see it while it is far away, yet it appears so close that its arrival seems imminent. The glorious reunion with our loved ones we so yearn for, will come to pass. The gospel ship will come into harbor.  Then shall victory over the grave be achieved and as we embrace our loved ones, we will be able to shout to the heavens in joyous accord, “O death, where is thy sting? Hosanna to the Lord who has made this day possible. Praise be His name forever more.”

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