”But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.“
Grief is an emotion that pierces so close to the soul that one ought to have a strong spirit to sustain him in times of such trouble It shakes humans to the core, that only the one who has overcome it can give counsel and comfort to endure through loss.
The story given in our theme scripture is of King David, after losing the child he conceived in adultery with Uriah’s wife. While the child was still alive but sickly, he mourned and refused to eat or drink with hope that he may change the spoken word by God. His officials and attendants were so concerned that he would never be able to come back from such a tragedy if it was to happen and assume his kingly responsibilities.
Yet, the child passed on. Interestingly, when the child passed on into glory, King David cleaned up, ate, and drank. Everyone was confounded by the king’s seemingly confusing and backwards process of grief, and he gives us a perspective that was long to hold us together when such tragedy befalls us: I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.
The hope and expectation we have as believers is that death is just a passage for those who believe. This body that is born and raised in sin is subject to decay, but the spirit which God has engrafted with His own does not see decay. David did not even have this Holy Spirit you and I possess daily, yet he reasoned with God that it was no valid reason to forsake the rock of his salvation for a matter that was going to end in holy reunion.
Child of God, as long as we live in this world, tribulation is sure to come there yet there should never be any of it that causes you to forsake your God. Not the death of a child or spouse, a relationship or a career, an expectation that was not met or a disease that did not heal.
Your association to God is the greatest treasure you can ever boast about, and not just while in the world but even when you are long gone. The works of the righteous are remembered for eternity because of this association, yet their pains still occurred and held great value while they happened. Yet again, we remember very little of it, but so much about their faithfulness to the end.
May it then be said of you, that you reasoned with God, mourned with God, and were healed by His hand. Halleluiah!
Prayer: Father, I thank you for this truth. You are the God who bends but doesn’t break, who wounds yet bandages, who corrects yet in love. My soul is disciplined enough to reason with you concerning all that befalls or blesses me. Your glory is the subject of all my affections for to you I and all that concerns me belong. Deal with me according to your riches in mercy, now and forevermore in Jesus mighty name. Amen!
CI.
