|
Bereaved?
`Whatever
may be your circumstances, however dark and mysterious may be the
ways of Providence, though the path may be through the deep waters,
and trials and bereavements may afflict again and again, the
assurance still comes, "All things work together for good to
them that love God." Rom 8:28.’ (2SM261)
|
`The blessed Saviour stands by many whose eyes are so blinded by tears that they do not discern Him. He longs to clasp our hands, to have us look to Him in simple faith, permitting Him to guide us.' (MB12) |
`Could
your eyes be opened, you would see your heavenly Father bending over
you in love; and could you hear His voice, it would be in tones of
compassion to you who are prostrate with suffering and affliction.
Stand fast in His strength; there is rest for you.’ (HP272)
`God
will be nearer and dearer to you than any of your earthly relatives
can be. He will be your friend and will never leave you. His
friendship will prove sweet peace to you and will help you to bear
your great loss with fortitude.’ (2T314)
`Our
fondest hopes are often blighted here. Our loved ones are torn from
us by death. We close their eyes and clothe them for the tomb, and
lay them away from our sight. But hope bears our spirits up. We are
not parted forever, but shall meet the loved ones who sleep in
Jesus. They shall come again from the land of the enemy. The
Life-giver is coming. Myriads of holy angels escort Him on His way.
He bursts the bands of death, breaks the fetters of the tomb, the
precious captives come forth in health and immortal beauty.’
(2SM259-260)
`God
would not have us remain pressed down by sorrow, with sore and
breaking hearts. He would have us look up and behold His dear face
of love. The blessed Saviour stands by many whose eyes are so
blinded by tears that they do not discern Him. He longs to clasp our
hands, to have us look to Him in simple faith, permitting Him to
guide us. His heart is open to our griefs, our sorrows, and our
trials. He has loved us with an everlasting love and with
loving-kindness compassed us about. We may keep the heart stayed
upon Him and meditate upon His loving-kindness all the day. He will
lift the soul above the daily sorrow and perplexity, into a realm of
peace.’ (MB12)
|
`He
who stood beside the sorrowing mother at the gate of Nain,
watches with every mourning one beside the coffin. He is
touched with sympathy for our grief. His heart, that loved and
pitied, is a heart of unchangeable tenderness. His work, that
called the dead to life, is no less efficacious now than when
spoken to the young man of Nain.’ (DA319) |
`We
do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to
grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus
died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus
those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord's own
word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the
coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen
asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud
command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call
of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who
are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in
the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the
Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words.’ (1
Thessalonians 4:13-18)
`The
Lifegiver is coming to break the fetters of the tomb. He is to bring
forth the captives and proclaim, "I am the resurrection and the
life." There stands the risen host. The last thought was of
death and its pangs. The last thoughts they had were of the grave
and the tomb, but now they proclaim, "O death, where is thy
string? O grave, where is thy victory" (1 Cor. 15:55). The
pangs of death were the last things they felt. . . .
`When
they awake the pain is all gone. "O grave, where is thy
victory?" here they stand and the finishing touch of
immortality is put upon them and they go up to meet their Lord in
the air. The gates of the city of God swing back upon their hinges,
and the nations that have kept the truth enter in.’ (3SM430-1)
|
