Good morning, Lord Jesus. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit -- help me sense Your presence, hear Your voice, and follow Your leading, as I begin my day seeking You. ...
"For this perishable body must put on imperishability, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When this perishable body puts on imperishability, and this mortal body puts on immortality, then the saying that is written will be fulfilled: 'Death has been swallowed up in victory.' 'Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?' This sting of death is sin and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 15:54-57).
In the past year I lost family members and dear friends of mine: my mother, my brother-in- law, and two close friends. All were unexpected a year ago. They passed on from this side of eternity to the next. And in their last breath of their last battle here on this earth, death had no victory and death had no sting. They were delivered through death into eternal life in You, the One who is "the Resurrection and the Life" (John 11:25). Truly they have "fought the good fight" and received his eternal reward in the fullness of Your presence (1 Timothy 4:7; 2 Corinthians 5:8).
So I join with my friend’s families, and families who have lost someone and all who love them dearly to both celebrate their victory and their life in the Spirit with Christ in heaven, even as we also mourn and grieve our loss of their lives here in the flesh with us on earth. Thank You that in You, we do not have to "grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with Him those who have died" (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14).
Through Your victory of the resurrection, we will all rejoice with You and with one another again. In that way, even through hard times like this when our hearts are both full of hope and sorrow at the same time, we hold fast to the promise of Your Word, "Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning" (Psalm 30:5). My dear family members and friends are experiencing the healing of the resurrection; and at the same time, we need the comfort of Your resurrection love here in our hearts as we celebrate their victory in You.
Holy Spirit of God, comfort us and strengthen us through the night times and hard times we endure through the battles of this world, as we look forward to that glorious morning to come. "Thank be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!" In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, I pray you are strengthened and comforted through every battle you'll face through the night time, knowing joy comes with the morning in the resurrection love of God in Jesus Christ, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!
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