The Easter Victory for Those Who Mourn

So today is Thursday.  One week after Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday.  Is it already receding for you?

Or is it still important to you?  This victory?  I can tell you it doesn’t always feel like victory.

I can remember saying “So this is the victory”, through tears to my niece’s husband last Easter, a few short weeks after my 23 year old son was killed in a motorcycle accident.  I know that day it was more of a question than a statement.  It did not feel like victory at the time. And so now a year later?  It is still difficult, but it feels a bit more like victory.  There are still tears, but for the most part not the gut wrenching, wailing that occurred many days last year. And there are some smiles.

Through all the pain and heartache, I did learn about faith and friends and hope.

Faith is really standing on the promises of the Bible, no matter that you’re feel empty, sad and lost.

Christian friends - who shared their faith, wisdom and insights; prayed with me, and gently led me back to the Holy Spirit, carrying me through this year and helping me remember hope.

What better way to find the Holy Spirit than to study the Bible – even one day retreats – and to pray.

We are blessed to have a Heavenly Father who truly loves us and wants to provide comfort.  So at this time of victory, I want to pray for all those who are feeling the loss of a loved one:

Dear Heavenly Father – we pray for all who mourn.  That they will feel your blessings through the touch of the Holy Spirit, through friends and family who come alongside them, and through the memories that will begin to provide smiles instead of tears. Lord God we thank you for our Savior, Jesus Christ, who knew grief and mourning as did Job and David and Abraham and Ruth; assuring us that this time of sadness is sadly normal.  Though we will not understand, (Isaiah 55:9) we know that we need not fear.  You are with us and strengthen us. (Isaiah 41:1)   You stay close to all who are brokenhearted and crushed in spirit (Psalm 34:18) and do not willingly bring grief to anyone (Lamentations 3:33).  Help us to remember Your promises – that You go before us to prepare a place for our loved ones (John 14:1-4). The sting of death is only for those of us who are left behind because You have swallowed up death in victory; clothing the mortal with immortality (1 Corinthians 15:52-57).  Lord we look with hope to the day when we are reunited with our loved ones forever and there will be no more death, or crying or pain (Revelation 21:4).  In Jesus name we pray.

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