There’s nothing like loss to make you reflect on what you actually once had. I suffered a personal one recently-the kind you only speak about with close friends and loved ones. Things can be replaced, but people cannot. The pain each of us suffers when we undergo this kind of loss is real, and it’s seldom understood even by those who’ve gone through something similar. Why? Because each of us experiences grief in various ways, over varying amounts of time, and with a variety of experiences along the grieving process.

Perhaps you know exactly what I’m talking about. All of us, at one point or another, experience loss. Maybe you’ve been carrying this type of heartache for years and years. Perhaps your pain is more recent, so the wound is fresh and oh-so-sensitive.

The Lord Jesus was not immune to the sadness and suffering we feel when we lose a family member or friend. Look at these words we find in John 11 when Mary and Martha told Him about the death of their brother, Lazarus:

When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. “Where have you laid him?” he asked.

“Come and see, Lord,” they replied.

Jesus wept.

Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” (verses 32-36)

Theologians agree that Jesus’ deep feelings of sorrow were directly related to His understanding of the loss experienced because of sickness and death. This wasn’t what His Father had ever intended at Creation! Illness, suffering, and loss were never part of God’s perfect plan for humankind.

You probably know the rest of the story well. Jesus raised Lazarus from the grave-a very real picture of the power He has over death’s stranglehold. Yet look at the dialogue He had with Martha just a few verses earlier:

Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”

Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

“Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.” (John 11:23-27)

In other words, Jesus was reminding Martha-and all of us today-that even though we will die physically, we can live spiritually and eternally with the Lord! And He lays out the plan of salvation so simply: believe in Him. Yes, an uncomplicated commitment of faith in Jesus, the One who died to save us from our sins, is all we need. Faith in the Father’s Son who has power over death is it-nothing else is necessary!

What might be lost is found through Jesus’ gift for us. Sure, our earthly bodies will wear out. Eighty, ninety, or maybe one hundred years on Planet Earth is all we can handle-but an eternity awaits us after we take our last breath!

Friends, if you’ve lost a loved one who once made this simple commitment of faith in Jesus, you will find him or her again in Heaven! If you know people now who don’t understand God’s plan for their lives yet, then pray! Share the gift of faith you’ve been given-and step out into each day moving forward with the confidence that Jesus, who came to seek the lost, will reunite us again one day in our future, forever home!

Thought of the Month

“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.”

I Thessalonians 4:13-14

I like the notion of citizenship. There is something comforting about the concept of belonging. Citizenship makes us part of a much bigger family, and there’s a safety in being part of a group-a sense of security in knowing that we’re not alone in this world.

God likes the idea of citizenship, too. In fact, the Bible tells us that He has a much bigger view of what it means to belong. The Apostle Paul, who was quite appreciative of his Roman citizenship, wrote these words:

But whatever happens to me, you must live in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ, as citizens of heaven . . . but we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior.”

Philippians 1:27, 3:30

Although we can catch a glimpse of what citizenship is about while we are here on earth, it definitely has its limitations this side of Heaven. The most noticeable is the division that it can cause with people from other places. Someone who is a citizen here might not like someone else because they are a citizen there. In fact, throughout history these simple differences alone have been the only spark necessary for strife, separation, and even battles to break out.

Earthly citizenship also means I can’t have complete freedom to relate to others. There are language barriers, cultural differences, and even physical distances that cause division of peoples. Yet this is not true for those who choose to accept God’s offer to become part of His forever family. Look at this beautiful passage about the promise for those faithful followers of the Lord:

All these faithful ones . . . agreed that they were no more than foreigners and nomads here on earth. And obviously people who talk like that are looking forward to a country they can call their own. If they had meant the country they came from, they would have found a way to go back. But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God. For he has prepared a heavenly city for them.

Hebrews 11:13-16

Maybe that’s why we don’t feel as comfortable here as we’d like to be. Once we decide to follow the Lord, our heart begins to long for our “heavenly homeland.” While we can and should enjoy the life God has given us here on earth (see John 10:10), we simply can’t build our permanent hopes and dreams upon terra firma. Instead, we must travel light-like vacationers on holiday who’ll soon be returning to that wonderful place called home.

Perhaps composer and music producer Albert Brumley summed up these thoughts best in his gospel song, This World is Not My Home:

This world is not my home, I’m just-a-passing through

My pleasure and my hopes are placed beyond the blue

Many friends and kindred have gone on before

And I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.

Thought of the Month

“. . . for you are a chosen people. You are a kingdom of priests, God’s holy nation, his very own possession. This is so you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of darkness into his wonderful light . . . Dear brothers and sisters, you are foreigners and aliens here.”

I Peter 2:9, 11

Romance 101 by Sonkist Ministries on Mixcloud

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When I entered the grocery store several weeks ago, a huge display of Valentine’s Day goodies greeted me just inside the entrance. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m always glad to discover chocolate at any time of year-but it seems like I just cleared away the Christmas decorations, so I wasn’t quite ready for another holiday. In addition to the candy, there was a looming mountain of stuffed animals of every shape and size. And, of course, there were flowers-bunches and bunches of bouquets that filled the air with a fragrant aroma.

Fortunately I made it through this Valentine gantlet safely (although I did put one bag of dark chocolates in my cart), but I have thought about that scene several times since my visit. What is it about the 14^th of February that starts our hearts and minds thinking about love? Sure, Cupid is cute, and hearts are happy little shapes-yet there’s got to be more to that age old message, “Be Mine, Valentine.”

And there is more-much more than we can ever imagine!

You see, God is love . . . and the simple fact that we’re His number one creation means we want to be in touch with that kind of love, too! Humans long to be loved-and to give love-because that’s what it means to be made in the image of our caring Creator. The Apostle John-the “beloved” disciple of Jesus-reminds us of this very fact:

God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us . . . We love because he first loved us.”

I John 4:16b-17, 19

Talk about an incurable romantic! The Lord woos us and waits patiently for us. He won’t force His love upon us, but instead our Heavenly Father shows His compassion in the most subtle ways. Rather than sending flowers, He gives us the warm, glowing sunshine to greet us each morning. No diamonds are needed-we’ve got thousands of glistening stars to dazzle our eyes every evening. The soft, soothing sounds of water falling or birds singing are among the music He makes on our behalf.

What message is God sending through these and, so many other, daily miracles? That He loves us with everything that is in Him . . . so much that He even sent His Son Jesus to save us! The Lord wants to protect us and provide for us, and He actually wants us to be part of His forever family:

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God. And that is what we are . . .

I John 3:1

So as you purchase your Valentine’s Day cards, plan for a special evening out, or sample the treats your sweetheart gives you, spend some time thinking about the Lord who cares for you with an everlasting love. And remember when you hear the words “Be Mine” that they reflect His exact thoughts about you!

Many blessings to you and your loved ones this month from all of us at Sonkist Ministries!

Thought of the Month

Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God, but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

I John 4:11 -12

Musings of a Pastor by Sonkist Ministries on Mixcloud

For those of you who are viewing this on an iPhone or iPad, please listen to our radio shows using the MixCloud iTunes App. Download the app and then search for “Sonkist” under the “cloudcasts” search option.