Life After Loss

Jesus told her, "I am the one who raises the dead and gives them life again. Anyone who believes in me, even though he dies like anyone else, shall live again. He is given eternal life for believing in me and shall never perish. Do you believe this? John 11:25-26 The Living Bible

Good Morning Girlfriends:

After making several trips to the city to see the specialist concerning my husbands kidney's, many tweaks were made each visit to his diet, medications, and fluid intake for home dialysis, but we didn't know that this was going to be our last visit. Wheeling him into the office to where the same nurse usually helped us, my husband was given three rounds of antibiotics back to back as they tried to flush out the infection from his body. Hours later we were immediately sent to emergency in the hospital in order to get him registered into the hospital system, he was being admitted.

After many hours of wondering and waiting to find out what was going on, after many procedures and tests, we were both getting quite exhausted from the whole ordeal, as we waited for results, Doctors answers, diagnoses anything. Never leaving my husbands side for a moment from the very beginning of our journey together with his kidney failure, he insisted that I take a break for myself to get a little rest at a nearby hotel, since I had worked all day, drove him to the hospital which was hours driving and being late into the night he could see my fatigue. Handing me his bank card he insisted that I get just a few hours sleep, and I have to say very reluctantly I went.

Startled by the phone ringing at 4:45, I groggily talked to the other person on the other end who was letting me know that my husband had taken a turn for the worse and that they had been working on him for awhile, they wanted me to know that I didn't have to hurry back to the hospital, but that I should come. Meeting me at the front doors and taking me into a quiet room to talk, the Doctor and nurse began to explain to me what had happened in the night, saying that they had worked on him for quite some time, but they were not able to bring him back, they had done everything that they could. They left me alone for awhile so I could register and divulge the information that was just given.

Thinking about Joseph's father, and how he felt, when he found out that his son Joseph had (supposedly) been killed by a wild animal, it says in Gen.37:34-35 that he tore his garments and put on sackcloth and he mourned for his son for many weeks. Family had tried to console him and comfort him, but it was to no avail, he continued to say that he would die mourning for his son.

Girlfriends, if you have ever experienced loss of a loved one, this is exactly how some of you may have felt, you constantly grieved and cried as you held onto every memory that you had of that person. That is exactly what our natural body does when we lose someone who is very close and dear to us, we grieve, we cry, we may even question at times why did this have to happen?

I can certainly tell you that when I had drove my husband to the hospital that day, I had thought that we would go and he would get treated like we had done so many times before and go home or even if he had to stay in the hospital for a week or so, then we would go home just like the times before, but it wasn't to be, not this time. Yes, I did cry when I was taken into the room where my husband laid, but as I looked up toward heaven, I had such an undescribable peace that I already knew where he was and that was with the Lord. Looking at my husbands face as he lay there, he had a smile on his face and to me that was a reassurance to where he was.

Our key verse tells us exactly that, when we believe that Jesus is the resurrection and the life, and the one who believes in that, even though one dies, they live again, which is forever in heaven with the Lord. That is God's promise to us, that if we too are living for the Lord then we will see our loved ones again in heaven, in Romans 14:8 it tells us that "if we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord," Amen.

If you have lost a husband, a mother, a father, a son or a daughter, a grandparent or even had a miscarriage, and maybe you are the one who had an abortion many years ago not realizing the total impact it would have on you, let me leave each of you some scriptures that will bring comfort and peace to you in your times of brokenness.

Rev. 21:4 says, "He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away," this is when we are in heaven. Psalm 34:18 tells us, The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 147:3 tells us that He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Romans 8:28 tells us "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Matthew 5:4 says, Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 1 Thess. 4:13-14 says Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uniformed 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. Then it continues to say in 1 Thess. 4:17-18, 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. Therefore encourage one another with these words. I will wrap it up with these three verses for the children as well, Matt. 19:14 says, But Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven." Matt. 18:14 says, So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish. John 14:27 reminds us, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives di I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

At the end of the story of Joseph, we see that Joseph and his father were reunited when Josephs brother travelled with the entire family to where they could receive food because of the famine being in the land. God had Joseph in a place that he had been used to be able to save his entire family and many others because of the famine that was in the land. Jacob was reunited with his son which he thought all those years was dead, he could see for himself that he was very much alive, and that is the way we will see our loved ones who have went on before us, we will be reunited with them and see that they are very much alive, well, whole and happy. We will meet them once again as we go through heavens gates, and oh, what a reunion that will be, Amen! (Hebrews 12:23)

Let's Pray,

Father God, I praise You this morning as I lift my voice to You for who You are and for all Your goodness. Lord, I lift up each individual who is hurting, who is broken because of the loss of a loved one. Lord, Let comfort and a peace that surpasses all understanding fall upon them right now in the mighty name of Jesus, that they would feel the love and peace of the father in knowing that one day soon they will be reunited with that loved one once again. Let them be comforted that, that is Your PROMISE to them in the mighty name of Jesus. Let each one be filled with a joy that they cannot describe as it floods their soul as they rejoice knowing that they will be reunited in Jesus mighty name, Amen.

Be blessed dear ones and pass the blessings on. Thank you in advance for passing this message on. Be blessed.