The cruelty of death!
The last few days I have lost a couple friends to death. I think death is cruel but more so to the loved ones who are left than the deceased. Don’t get me wrong dying is no walk in the park. The process of dying is worse than the death. To live and know you are dying is painful. Not because you are fearful of it. Not because you dislike it but because it is a time of confusion, disorientation, weakness, humiliation and concern for those you are leaving behind. The process of death takes the hope away and leaves you with the unavoidable results.
I also know that if the deceased knew the Lord they are in a better place. But that fact does not mean they left me in a better place. Loved ones are left with the absence, the loneliness, the questions and the confusion of it all. The separation of a loved one from our lives is cruel and unbearable. If you love someone you just cannot be happy that they are separated from you. The process of reestablishing your life without that person is a difficult process. That journey takes time, relearning and reawakening your life to things you never thought before. Death is cruel and I just don’t think it is something we will ever get used to. I was reminded by my friend Pastor John Loper of the scripture where Jesus stood at the tomb of Lazarus and it said two words about Him, “Jesus wept!” He knew that in a few moments Lazarus was going to live again, but he wept. Death is such a powerful and painful thing that even Jesus wept at it. He wept at it even though He was going to turn it around in a few moments. The same thing is true about us. Even though we will find normalcy again the act of death clouds that hope. Because we loved someone so much the reality of death makes us lose sight of the hope. But that hope will come! The storm clouds will never hold back the sunlight of the future. We will find our feet again and we will live in their absence. We will never forget their memories, nor ever replace them but we will succeed at life again. We will love again, we will live again and we will look forward to the journey of life.
