God of the Living – November 19, 2019

[Jesus said] “But in the account of the burning bush, even Moses showed that the dead rise, for he calls the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.”
Luke 20:37,38

God of the Living

It was an exceptionally cold day in the late Fall as we drove to the cemetery. Even though it was midafternoon the sun made long shadows. The hearse led our procession of cars slowly out of town, and even though our vehicle was full the conversations were muted.

I couldn’t help think about how everything would change now. The house would always be a little quieter. Holidays would seem a little emptier. Pictures that used to bring only happy memories would always have a twinge of sadness.

It was then that my brother spoke up and said with more hope than sadness, “I am so thankful for the resurrection.” With this thought, suddenly there was hope even in my crying eyes.

As sad as we are when we are separated from our loved ones by death, as much as it might change our lives here and now, as Christians we know that our God is the God of the living, not the dead. The moment a Christian closes his eyes in death he opens them to see Jesus. The final step a believer takes here on earth is simply the step before they walk with Christ forever. For the one who trusts Jesus the last day here is just the beginning of an eternity with our Lord.

While saying good-bye to a loved one is always difficult, we find certain hope in a God who promises that we will live forever with him. Nothing can change that.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, give me the sure hope and comfort that you are the God of the living and that all who believe will live, even though they die. Amen.