Day 24 - Issue 23
1 Corinthians 15:55 NLT
O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?
Death is not a subject that’s easy to talk about. I discovered when accompanying Katey with her MS, the ‘death’ word was not wanted by the majority of professionals we had to engage with. We initially were seeking to establish some timeframe to help navigate our journey together, and were surprised and shocked when the consultant neurologist attempted to make light of it and said, “Oh! I wouldn’t be surprised if Katey outlived you.” We both found this profoundly unhelpful. It was one of many disappointments along the way as we tried as best we might to engage in a conversation around death, a very important issue for us.
Scripture has no difficulty with the subject, and death is spoken of often. Because Christianity has its roots firmly established in the soil of hope born of the saving work of Messiah, we can agree with Paul and declare that all our anxieties about death have been addressed.
Once someone dies, although they have left us physically, we will treasure their memory. We travel on our own very individual journey with grief; it’s a journey that never ends but passes through innumerable changing landscapes. We recall the wonderful things they said and did; why they were important to us and where the gaps are for us now they have departed. Indeed, I have come to enjoy the words “faithful departed” to speak of death. They have, after all, simply departed this life safely en route to the fullest expression of God’s kingdom and care.
So we can thank God today for the influence of those who have departed and who are meaningful to us; a day of commemoration praying for the deposit of faith they have left for us and for others. All Souls’ Day is not a bleak day, but an essential part of acknowledging we do not fear death, and celebrating the wonderful testimonies of the faithful departed.
QUESTION: Take some time to recall and give thanks for the deposit of faith those who have gone ahead of you have invested in your life.
PRAYER: Thank you, Lord, for the faithful departed who have taught me, loved me and invested in me. Thank you that you have removed the fear of death.
