Where, O death, is your victory?

Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:55-58)

As a Nation mourns another attack and suffers senseless deaths and injuries, my family is also going through the passing of a matriarch (my wife's aunt and father-in-law's oldest sister). Yet with all the questions and emotions, I must echo the words of Paul; "Where, O death, is your victory?" Yes there is anger, doubt, fear, questions, and confusion. Yes there is weeping and crying. Sin has not only caused the cowardly attack in Boaton but sin also is the cause of our physical death as well. But praise God that the sacricfice of my Lord and Savior provides a way for victory over death and a glorious hope in eternal life together with Him in heaven one day! For some, the day comes suddenly as a thief in the night, such as happened in Boston yesterday. For others, death comes in the form of mercy as a loved one is relieved of pain and suffering. There is time to prepare as in the case of my Aunt. Yet there is pain nonetheless and suffering for those left behind to deal with the circumstances. This is the time to stand firm in our faith. This is the time to remain grounded in the faith that sustains us. This, more than ever, is the time to remain a rooted in the promises of God that He has overcome the sting of death. No one or no one event can shake our faith. God's promises remain true.

One day, Jesus is coming back and with a vengeance to do away with death altogether. For us who remain, we have a decision to make: Will we trust God at His Word or live aimlessly and in fear?

Our nation will and should seek justice. As we mourn the losses, there will be sorrow. But joy will come eventually for the believer . . . be encouraged!

Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For 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 word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until 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 one another with these words.(1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)