Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. I Thessalonians 4:13–14 NIV

I recently attended two memorial services in a two-week period. The first was for a gentleman from my Sunday School class. The second memorial service was a double service for my cousin and for her dear husband who passed a few years before her.

They were touching services and times of celebration. One might think that celebrating is a morbid idea since it was preceded by death, yet for all three people it was not just a time of sadness and saying goodbye. It was also a time of rejoicing.

How could I rejoice? I know that I will see them again! The separation, while painful, is temporary! I rejoice because of the hope of the resurrection for each of these dear ones, as they all believed that Jesus Christ died for their sins and rose again so they may have life through Jesus Christ the Lord. God gave us the Spirit as a guarantee of our salvation and eternal life (2 Corinthians 5:5).

It is that certain hope of eternal life that makes death a celebration. Indeed, my cousin looked forward to leaving her 94-year-old body “to be present with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8).

The believer in Christ does not hang around the graveyard after death, for dying is not the end. The body may be interned, but the soul is not there. If we receive salvation through Jesus Christ, we will live in heaven. Consider I Thessalonians:

…God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. I Thessalonians 4: 14b NIV

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. I Thessalonians 4:16–17 NIV

He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. I Thessalonians 5:10 NIV

…God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. I Thessalonians 4: 14b NIV

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. I Thessalonians 4:16–17 NIV

He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. I Thessalonians 5:10 NIV

What a reassurance it is to know we do not have to fear death.

Let’s encourage each other by the truth we have concerning the resurrection. We can know with certainty that we will be with Jesus.

Lord, thank you for the guarantee of salvation through You. Thank you that I will see my loved ones again. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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Scriptures marked NIV are taken from the NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (NIV): Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION ®. Copyright© 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™. Used by permission of Zondervan.

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Devotionals post every other Thursday, and are archived by month for your convenience.

God bless you.

Kathryn