Kari Lee Fournier: Memorial Day: overcoming the sadness of death

[TomSea]

May 26, 2017
Memorial Day: overcoming the sadness of death
By Kari Lee Fournier

As we all eagerly look forward to the upcoming Memorial Day weekend, we also pause for reflection on those brave souls in the armed forces who gave their lives, truly their all, for their country – for the freedoms and other cherished rights that we all are so blessed to enjoy.

We also think about other loved ones who passed away, sometimes leaving our lives so very suddenly. Sometimes under very painful circumstances for our loved ones, either physically, emotionally, or mentally – or a combination thereof.

Death. The final chapter. Something that we try hard not to think about, until forced to do so. We have such a fear of the unknown. And especially that exact moment of death. For our loved ones, and for ourselves.

For those of us who have watched a loved one taken from this Earth, we grieve to the depths of our very soul. Some days, even a particular song or smell reminds us of them – and brings us immediately to our knees, convulsing in deep and heartfelt sobs.

And for ourselves, we wonder how death will come to us. Will we be in pain? Will we maybe lose our minds slowly to Alzheimer's, possibly succumb to cancer, or perhaps suffer a massive heart attack? All terrifying thoughts.

Yet this is where Our Lord of the Bible comes into the picture. This is where He explains that there is not anything to fear in death for those of us who have accepted that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died for our sins and then rose again. Indeed, the sting of death has been swallowed up in the victory of Christ, and the complete end to that story will be written at the end of the prophesied Kingdom Age to come – where Jesus rules and reigns in glory.

Continued: http://www.renewamerica.com/columns/fournier/170526