Daily Devotional for Wednesday, April 24

The Clarity of God’s Plan

“But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope,” 1 Thessalonians 4:13.

As a nurse, I have seen many people die. Did you know that not all people die in the same way? Of course, nobody wants to die; to fight for one’s life is perfectly normal. On the other hand, sometimes people and their families know that the fight is useless and that death is inevitable. People react to that in very different ways. Some are terrified, because they think once they die, that is simply the end for them. They do not want to let go of this life. Some are scared because they do not know what the “other side” holds; they are not in a hurry to get there. Others are entirely at peace and even look forward to closing their eyes in death. Who are those last people? They are those who know Jesus Christ, and they also know they will be with Him upon death.

Things were rough at the Thessalonian church. People were confused by a particular teaching they had heard. They were afraid Jesus had called His churches home, and they had somehow missed out. They were worried that their dead relatives had missed out. They were sad and scared, like people dying in hospitals without Jesus are sad and scared.

The Holy Spirit inspired Paul to offer us a good encouragement in this passage of Scripture. Many things in Scripture require study and can be challenging to understand, but this passage is different. It is clear, and you may be confident of its truths. Losing loved ones hurts, but it can also be a time of joy. We can be joyful in knowing they have gone to something better and that we will see them again someday.

JUST A THOUGHT
Life on earth is full of trouble, pain and sadness. Can you imagine a Heaven where you are free from all of that?

Wally Fry