For Those of Us Waiting On That Day!
A Daily Devotional for Christians that are Grieving
by
Book Cover & Preview Text
DAY 5
To You, Lord I call: you are my Rock do not turn a deaf ear to me. For if you remain silent I will be like those who go down to the pit. (Psalm 28:1, NIV)
There are a number of scriptures throughout the devotional that deal with not hearing God. I think it is important to know that we are not alone in the seeming silence. With grief all is magnified. When someone we love is taken from this Earth to Heaven, our world falls apart. We cry out to God, our source of strength and comfort, and often we can’t feel Him. Our prayers seem to go unanswered. Our loved one’s absence is screaming at us, and we can’t get our bearing; even God seems far away. The pain threatens to consume us. The pain within is screaming and feels like an abyss of sorrow and emptiness. And where is God? He is there; God is not turning a deaf ear. A Friend gave me a blanket on which she had written scripture verses. About the time she gave it to me, another friend wrote me that her ladies’ group had prayer blankets and she would go “face down” in prayer for me. I took my new blanket and made it my prayer blanket. Although I pray sitting up, lying down, walking, and rocking, I find special comfort in the prayer blanket. I wanted some beam of light to encompass me, a magnificent voice to boom from Heaven. I wanted Heaven to open up and I wanted to see Jesus. I desperately wanted to hear from God. I didn’t get the booming voice or the Heavens parting but I could find a moment of peace as I lay face down crying out to God. In my frantic state of mind, I found it hard to hold to those moments of peace. But there were moments I felt a peace. If you find yourself having those moments, even though rare, of feeling God’s peace, try to write down those feelings so you can remember them later. Watch for those moments. In her book Discerning the Voice of God, Priscilla Shirer writes, “Is God only God when we see Him speaking or see Him moving?” We know He is the same God that we have always believed in and trusted. Now is the time to remind yourself by writing down those moments and by asking, “What do I know?” “What do I believe?” “What has always been true?”
Do you feel like God has turned a deaf ear to you? If so, write down things He has done in the past. Write what you believe to be true and have always believed to be true. Try creating a prayer blanket and find a special place to pray.
DAY 15
Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. (John 16:20,22, NIV)
Jesus was preparing His disciples because He knew they would mourn. He knew their world would feel like it had collapsed; they would doubt; they would weep. So Jesus affirms there is a time of grief. He tells them that now is their time of grief. He understands. But Jesus also encourages them with, “I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.” We will see Jesus when He takes us Home either through death or through His coming again. When we do, we will rejoice that the time of grief will be over. When we are rejoicing to see Jesus and be with Him, we will also be rejoicing to be reunited with our loved ones. I cannot imagine what it was like when our loved ones saw Jesus. I tried to imagine what that was like for Dad and Don. I listened to the song “I Can Only Imagine” by Mercy Me and tried to imagine how glorious that moment must be for them. And so it will be with us.
DAY 25
I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 8:11, NIV)
We know that Heaven will be glorious. We know we will see Jesus; we know that to be in His presence will be unbelievable. We also know that when we have someone leave before us, we suddenly stop just thinking about Heaven as a someday thing; it becomes so very real. And for a lot of us, that desire to know that the relationships will still be there is huge. We hold to the continuity of our lives. In Heaven Revealed, Paul Enns writes:
Scripture is also clear that there will be recognizable reunion with family members immediately at death. When Abraham died, ‘he was gathered to his people.’ The picture is further illuminated in Matthew 8:11 with Abraham reclining in the kingdom with Isaac and Jacob—his son and grandson. Family reunion! For believers, death brings a joyful reunion with believing family members. What a prospect!
Those who have not had someone they love with all their heart go before them may not fully understand how important this concept of continuity is. But for those of us who have, it is immensely comforting. You want to know you are going to be with the one you love. Debi, a close friend, said, “I believe the soul connections are for all eternity and that we know our loved ones as we do now only, perfect and with no baggage. I can’t believe that God made us where attachment and connection are so important just to tear them away. Death is a thing. It does not have the power to break those soul/spiritual connections.” We worship God here with those we love; we will continue to worship with them in Heaven. God is the One who gives us these amazing relationships here. We hold on to that clear picture of continuity, and look forward to that reunion. I have a digital frame with pictures that continually remind me of our family and our love. Many of those pictures are taken around a table eating. Jesus used a picture of a meal, a family meal, to describe one aspect of Heaven. He could have said Abraham, Moses and Elijah but instead He said the names of a family. Jesus named father, son and grandson. Clearly family is important in the Kingdom of God. Family, feasting, and, best of all, Jesus is the one who is the head of this feast. How glorious is that? We are waiting on that day!
What are your thoughts and feelings on this verse in light of it being a family reunion? How does a family reunion comfort you?
Formats
Book Details
About the Book
Anyone that has had a loved one go home knows the pain and sorrow that can overwhelm them. The loss of a loved one can send you into a deep abyss of pain and sorrow. Do you wonder where your loved one is? What is he or she doing? What is Heaven like? How do you find comfort in the pain? Where is God when it hurts? This book was written as the author found herself asking the same questions when, while still grieving the loss of her dad, her strong, healthy husband had a sudden heart attack. On November 2, 2011, her husband of thirty-eight years was called home to heaven. Trying to hold on to her faith while reeling from shock and grief, she threw herself into studying God’s Word and holding on to her faith while she tried to seek answers and comfort. Being unable to find a devotional that was specifically for grieving Christians lead her to write her first book. You will find comfort and assurance that you will be reunited with your loved one in the scripturally based devotions as you read what God has laid on her heart. Ann gives you a daily devotional that helps you focus on heaven, God’s sovereignty and everlasting love, eternity, and that glorious day we will be reunited with our loved ones, and help you find comfort and an eternal perspective as you wait on that day.
About the Author
Ann Dillon is a licensed professional counselor, has master’s degree in education, and is currently in private practice as a family counselor. She married the love of her life, Don Dillon. They have two daughters, Melody and Michelle. She and her husband have served in their church in many capacities.