The Bane of Loss

Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints. O LORD, I am your servant; I am your servant, the son of your maidservant. You have loosed my bonds. I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the LORD. I will pay my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people, in the courts of the house of the LORD, in your midst, O Jerusalem. Praise the LORD! (Psalm 116:15-19 ESV). It is not unusual for me to hear people tell me I simply don’t understand. In many cases that is the truth. There are many things I don’t understand. I have intentionally relegated all of those things to “questions to ask when I get there.” However, one of the things I do personally and experientially understand is the bane of loss. I’ve lost people and things. I have nearly as many folks on the other side waiting for me as I have around me now that I have grown a bit older. I have lost jobs and position; I have seen the loss of countless others, feeling the deep grief that threatens to overcome them. After doing the Elisha series, I thought it best to refocus our thoughts on what we have gained in the midst of our loss. These are the “precious” things of life. When we think about things that are “precious” we usually think about cute and cuddly things. Children, pets, and stuffed animals come to my mind. But the psalmist tells us that the death of God’s people, something that’s far from “cuddly,” is also precious in God’s sight. In other words, God not only provides an eternal solution to our sin problem but he is also particularly present and helpful through the dying process and provides strength for all who are directly affected. Some people are often amazed when they realize how much bad news I have heard in a typical day as a counselor. There are those who are struggling with broken relationships, deteriorating health, and financial setbacks that are overwhelming. One spouse, as she sat opposite her unfaithful husband, wept as she softly said to him, “How could you have done this to our children and me?” So many people see this ministry as one that has to be so depressing! I wouldn’t be truthful if I said it doesn’t affect me or that it was an easy job that one gets used to. Yet even in the darkest hours of death and loss, God’s promises and presence endure. Death brings us face to face with difficult issues and deep emotions. In the next few days I want to address some of them in the Morning Devotionals. I hope you will find help and hope. Whether you are dealing with loss now or later, it’s something we all face. God’s Word speaks to us and reminds us that he is faithful and will be with us until the end. I hope you will learn to relegate those unanswerable questions to that category of “things to ask when I get there.” Rest in the unchanging nature of our heavenly Father. You will not be disappointed.