Inspirational Thought of the Day:
Every choice we make in this life that missed the grace of God is redeemed by the hand of God.
Scripture of the Day:
2 Samuel 14:14
“All of us must die eventually. Our lives are like water spilled out on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. But God does not just sweep life away; instead, he devises ways to bring us back when we have been separated from him.”
The sword was just beginning to besiege David’s house, per the punishment Nathan spoke of due to David’s transgression with Bathsheba. Absalom took matters into his own hands when his brother Amnon defiled his sister Tamar.
Joab figured he should handle the situation delicately. So Joab used a woman to try to convict King David to restore his son Absalom after he had killed his brother Amnon. Guess Joab was passive aggressive. he figured if someone came to the king asking for advice for their own situation, that maybe David would get a clue. Nathan tried that method, too. Better yet, Joab figured, why not use a woman to do his deed? Poor gal. Of course, going into the presence of a King could mean death if he was not pleased, so I get it. But the words she spoke here (er, Joab perhaps fed to her) were profound. We will all die. But God makes a way to bring us back.
Death is the dread of all who live. We were made with a longing for eternity pulsing through our veins. We can fear death – its uncertainty and seemingly cruel end. Or we can see the purposes of death and how God can use it to plant seeds of hope in the lives of those left behind.
Funerals have a way of reminding us of the brevity of life and our ultimate departure from this earth. Many times people have regrets of how they wish they had lived their lives. They wish they would have made different choices, perhaps. But as a Christian, there is hope even in our regrets, as every choice we make in this life that missed the grace of God is redeemed by the hand of God.
In the past couple weeks, two people I knew passed away. One knew the LORD and stories of his faithfulness to God permeated his memorial service. He left his footprint for others to follow in. He wasn’t a perfect person, but his hope was sure. Attending the funeral of a Christian is a particularly hopeful experience. Even when they have admitted regrets, there is an overriding sense of victory because they are no longer struggling in the body and are surrounded by perfection in the present of God. Our regrets do not have to equate with condemnation. They can be a catalyst to cause us to live faithful lives.
The other person who passed away left an uncertainty as to whether or not she knew the LORD. The regrets of those who loved her are deep. The sorrow – palatable. There are no more opportunities to make wrongs right. No more chances to live another way. But God. Even in seemingly hopeless situations, though, God is a God of mercy and who knows what a person can decide in their last minutes on this earth? The very death that is scorned might have been the very tool that finally woke them to see their need of God, even if it was in their last moments. Death can become mercy when it halts sin and reveals the end. An opportunity to choose eternal life one last time.
When losses are tragic and unexpected, we grapple with understanding why. We can blame God as if we expected to live forever, but we all have our designated time on this earth. And it is limited. How will we use our time?
When we embrace all of the triumphs and sorrows of our lives, we choose to let them spur us on to live a life that glorifies God and impacts the world around us. We need to seize each moment and live it well for Jesus. Our time is short, and those behind us need to see where our hope lies. There is hope in death because death has lost its sting by the triumph of our King.
Lord, help us to not grow complacent and comfortable here so that we forget the urgency of sharing your salvation and hope with those around us. Thank You for taking the sting out of death for those whose hope is in You.