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The passing of a parent (or any family member) can be truly challenging for a Christian. Even when the one we have lost is a believer, it is never easy to bid farewell, especially if the loss was sudden. Mourning for our loved ones is fitting and anticipated; Christ Himself shed tears at the tomb of His friend Lazarus “Jesus wept.”, (John 11:35). The Bible offers solace, and we as Christians can discover solace even in the departure of someone so cherished.
In the passing of a Christian parent, the greatest solace a believer possesses is the hope and assurance that our bond with our parents does not cease at death. A Christian who has lost a Christian parent can find peace in the assurance that there will be a reunion in heaven. Our parent is currently with Christ, encountering His joy “we are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.”, (2 Corinthians 5:8). At the time of the resurrection, all who have embraced Christ will be glorified and bestowed incorruptible bodies (1 Corinthians 15:42–44;John 11:25). For the Christian, Christ has triumphed over death! As Paul joyfully scribes in 1 Corinthians 15:54–57, “Death has been swallowed up in victory! Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Losing a parent can be more challenging if we are uncertain of our parent’s salvation. Nevertheless, we can still hold fast to the promises of God and seek Him for comfort. We anticipate the time when all things shall be renewed, and trust t
He is just and good.
The God of the Bible delights in comforting the afflicted and healing the heartbroken (Jeremiah 17:14; 2 Corinthians 1:3–4; 7:6). He is “a father to the fatherless” «A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, Is God in his holy habitation. », (Psalm 68:5). When we are grieved by the loss of our loved ones, God is quick to offer us His peace. In the midst of our mourning, we can know the presence of God with us; even in our sorrow, we can draw near to Him in prayer and worship. As believers, we also do not have to grieve alone. We have others in the Body of Christ who will help bear the burden, share the pain, and “mourn with those who mourn” «Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. », (Romans 12:15).
The loss of our parents can be deeply painful, particularly since they play such a key role in shaping our lives. Indeed, our parents are often the ones who comfort us when we are hurting, and to lose them can feel like we are losing our emotional support. But Christians can take heart in that we find comfort in more than our families; the very God of Creation, who knows us better than we know ourselves, understands our pain and is eager to grow us and heal us and give us His peace.
