Theron & Jordan

This past week, a friend I've made here at First Assembly, Theron Artherholt, went to be with Jesus. He wasn't old, either...just a year older than my father, but cancer just ravaged his body, especially during the last month. It was so hard at the funeral to watch the family grieve the loss of their grandfather, father, friend, or whatever the relation, as they would miss him greatly. I will miss him, too.

What makes this loss seem even greater for the family is the fact that their hearts are still on the mend from the loss of Theron's grandson, Jordan. Little Jordan was suffering with a rare genetic disorder called Griscelli Syndrome (one of only 60 cases reported worldwide, as of January 2003). Last October Jordan went home to be with Jesus, as well, and was finally free of his suffering.

So, what is it that makes it possible for anyone to ever make it through such hard times? Certainly, we can find comfort in knowing that our family or friends who know Christ are relieved of their pain or suffering, but to those who remain...we find hurt. Sadness. Loneliness. Loss.

Where do we turn in times like these? Some turn to things that will numb the pain. Some turn inward, and trust no one with their emotional hurts. Still others turn to busyness, and simply try to forget that the pain is there. However, at the end of whatever distraction we choose, we find that we still need to find a way to deal with loss.

I love that God's shoulders are big enough for us to cry on. To know that He's able to handle even our moments of doubt, anger, frustration, and even disbelief is to trust in a God that sees and embraces our frailty. I believe that God's love and grace extends to us in even greater measure in these times.

1 Peter 5:7 (NLT) - Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.

I like to imagine that God loves the way a good father loves. Sometimes I'm a good dad. (I actually do get it right sometimes!) When I see one of my girls get hurt...a skinned knee, or a broken toy, but especially when their heart is crushed by the reality of life's disappointments, my heart breaks too. I want to fix, to heal, to mend...whatever is broken. But sometimes I can't. Sometimes, we can't afford to buy another camera to replace the broken one. Other times I can't say enough to mend a heart that hurts from another mean jr. high girl. All I can do is be there. All I can do is to listen, and try to understand. All I can do is promise that tomorrow will be better...if not the next tomorrow, maybe the one after that.

That's what I think God says to us in times of great loss. "I'm here. I understand. I know it hurts now, but wait until tomorrow, because it will get better. If not tomorrow, then possibly the tomorrow after that."

Don't believe me? Look at what 1 Thessalonians says to us:

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (NLT) - And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died. 15 We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the Christians who have died will rise from their graves. 17 Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. 18 So encourage each other with these words.

What gives more hope to the separation that death brings than these words? We do "not grieve like people who have no hope," because we have the GREAT HOPE of seeing them once again either when we die, or when we meet Christ in the air. What a promise! That'll be a reunion like no other! To know that death is not the end, but that to the Christ-follower, we have hope for TOMORROW!

To my friends, the Artherholt family, know that I will continue to pray for you. Know that even more importantly, our God hears you, and loves you so much. Know that it will get better...tomorrow.

Check out this video by Skillet, "You Are My Hope."