Sometimes You’re Just Going to Be Sad

Today is a sad day. There is no way to spin this and make it anything other than what it is. When you bury a man with a loving wife, twin thirteen year-olds, and a nine year-old, it’s just sad.

And so I am sad today, but I am not without hope.

As a follower of Jesus that is burying a follower of Jesus, I do not grieve like those without Christ. The Word of God gives me reason to hope and to be encouraged even though I am very sad.

1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 “Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. 14 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. 15 According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 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. 17 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. 18 Therefore encourage each other with these words.”

And so, yes, these precious children are not going to have their father looking after them, but God will. No, this wife is not going to have her husband in this life, but she will see him in heaven. This man’s friends and other family members will not be able to pick up the phone and call him, but God is available to them.

Steve Parmley is with God and for that I am grateful. 2 Corinthians 5:8 “We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.” He is home. The rest of us on the way must journey without him and for that reason we will be sad today.