Most sovereign, caring, and compassionate Lord Jesus. Certain days intensify our ache for the Day of no more death. Today is one of those days. A loving husband and dad, great physician and friend, lover of the gospel and beloved Son of God, has gone Home. Eternally Home, long before any of us could have imagined.
Thank you for validating our shock, encouraging our grief, and giving us tears. Standing before your friend’s grave, you wept before you, raised Lazarus to life. You revealed your anguish before you exercised your power. Death is a violation and contradiction of the world, order, and life you created. It’s not the way things are supposed to be. It’s good and right that we should be sad.
Jesus, I pray your hand, the hand that one Day will wipe every tear from our eyes, will reach into this painful story now. Bring your kind presence, tender comfort, and living hope to many—especially to his wife and children. Hold them close; be their peace.
Though we have other questions, there’s no question about where our friend is, and Who he’s with. Because the gospel is true, to be absent from the body is to be present with You; living is Christ and death is gain; our mourning is for the moment, but joy will come in the morning. Death is not sovereign; only you are. Your death was the death of death, and your resurrection is the guarantee and firstfruits of ours. Hallelujah!
In these coming hours, days, and weeks, move our hearts to number our days, love our God, and cherish our friends. Life is simply too short to be misspent, the gospel is too glorious to be ignored, and relationships too precious to be squandered. So very Amen we pray, in your wonderful and merciful name.
