I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” Rev. 21:3-5
Most loving Lord Jesus, your loud voice and tear-wiping hand, together, are most precious to me today. We long for the Day when “death shall be no more”—death in all of its expressions. This hope fills my heart as I prepare to share the gospel at the funeral of a dear young friend, whose life was beautiful and broken.
Thank you that you never left him alone, Jesus, even when the intense conflict in his soul was more apparent than your everlasting peace; even when the dark voices were louder than your lavish love; even when the self-contempt was more compelling than your all-consuming grace. You never left him; you never forsook him.
Though we would have written the end of his all-together-too-brief story differently, he is with you—more alive than ever; done with the demons and despondency, freed from the divided self—now whole and free. Thank you, Jesus, that it’s your grasp of us, not our grasp of you, that delivers us from sin and death—and ourselves.
Only your love will never let go of us; only your love is better than life; only your love is enough for our sin and brokenness, sickness and weakness, delusion and addictions… Only because you took the ultimate forsakenness of the cross, do we have the absolute assurance that nothing can separate us from your love—nothing.
Help us today, Jesus, as we gather to grieve our loss, receive your grace, and embrace our hope. For believers and non-believers alike, may the gospel be more beautiful and believable than ever. So very Amen we pray, in your merciful and mighty name.