May the mumbling commence!
When grief has a meaning, it is easier to stomach the temporal pain. Godly grieving is just that – grief with a meaning, a greater purpose. Jesus spoke of this type of grief with his disciples as he prepared them for his death upon the cross. Read from the end of John chapter sixteen:
"In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me."
Some of his disciples said to one another, "What does he mean by saying, 'In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me,' and 'Because I am going to the Father'?" They kept asking, "What does he mean by 'a little while'? We don't understand what he is saying."
Jesus saw that they wanted to ask him about this, so he said to them, "Are you asking one another what I meant when I said, 'In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me'? I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. 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. In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.
Though I have been speaking figuratively, a time is coming when I will no longer use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father. In that day you will ask in my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father."
Then Jesus' disciples said, "Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech. Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God."
"You believe at last!" Jesus answered. "But a time is coming, and has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.
I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (Verses 16-33)
We never like to see our spiritual leaders and teachers go. Can you imagine what it would have been like for the disciples to let go of Jesus? I cannot. I remember fondly the pastor who brought me to a saving faith in Jesus. Leonard Hershey was a man who served God with great devotion. I still miss him to this day. He passed away from pancreatic cancer a number of years ago – nearly ten years ago, if I recall correctly.
When our spiritual leaders and teachers leave us, there is a time of pain and mourning. For some church bodies, the pain is lethal – or nearly so. That makes me sad. Christians should be following Christ not any pastor or preacher. I continue to follow and serve Christ in loving remembrance of the people of faith who have passed on to the other side of the Jordan River. Many such people have touched my lives – too many to remember all of them…
But there is meaning to this pain. There is a new person being birthed in this process – a new me and a new you. Being renewed or born again is a thing worthy of pain and suffering. Being renewed is not a onetime event. It is a process that continues throughout our lives.
As we live through the ongoing process of renewal in our lives, we begin to understand what it means to pray and to live and to sing in the name of Jesus. It means walking and living as Jesus did – the way of obedience to our heavenly Father. It also means peace in the midst of trouble, because the battle is won. Jesus has overcome the world!
Enough mumbling for now…
Peace Out
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