Recently I have heard some cliché s spoken to provide
comfort during the loss of loved ones. I
do not want to pass judgment on the individual using them or portend to have
the answer to why bad things happen to people.
I do want to stimulate each person reading this to search out the Word
of God for their source of comfort.
Many times when dealing with the loss of a child, I hear the
cliché “God needed another angel” or “God needed them more than we did” or “They
now have their angel wings”. When we
die, we do not become angels. Angels
were created as angels. We are created
as people. Angels were not created in
God’s image like we were. Both were
created to worship and praise God. Both
were created to perform work for their creator.
Our heavenly Father is never called the Father of the angels. Angels are not part of the Body of Christ nor
are they the Bride of Christ. Jesus did
not die to redeem fallen angels. God
does not need more angels. God does not
need us in heaven; although He desires for us to be in heaven with Him. He is complete without us. In fact, Paul wrote to the Philippians that it
were better for him to die but that is was necessary for them, the Philippians,
that he remain in the body. (Phil. 1:23-24).
From that we could probably conclude that God needed him on earth to do
His work and that when that work was done, God would take him home. Paul said
it was better for him to be in heaven.
He would be free from all of his trials.
God would be freeing him from all the earthly trials. We are the body of Christ, here on earth, to
do His work through the direction of His Holy Spirit and His Word.
Trials are part of life on earth. God told Paul that His Grace was sufficient
to deal with the tormenting of satan. While
on earth, God provided Paul His grace to deal with satan. Once Paul died, he was completely delivered
for torments of satan. The same is true
for us. How do we grow in God’s Grace? Is it something magical? Is it like a “get out of jail” card? No! Daniel
inspired by God wrote “The people that do know their God, shall be strong and
do great exploits”. In 2 Chronicles.
Moses wrote, “the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the
whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to
Him”.
Why
is important to that we use the truth of the Word for comfort? Some may say, “use whatever you can to find
comfort”. Why not think of them as angels?
Angels are assigned task by God. God assigns angels to protect us (Ps 91:11). Angels are assigned to serve the Body of
Christ (Hebrews 1:4). God sends His
angels to surround us as a guard (Ps 34:7).
Our loved ones in heaven are doing none of these tasks. They are worshipping and fellowshipping with
their heavenly father along with the rest of the saints.
God
has provided us the strength and grace to deal with trials. Man’s falsehoods may provide natural comfort;
but the truth of the Word provides supernatural strength and peace. When we deal in falsehoods, we deprive
ourselves of the grace of God available to us.
When we perpetuate these falsehoods, we deny others the opportunity to
participate in the grace of God. Peter
commands fellow believers to grow in grace and the knowledge of their Lord and
Savior and not to be led away with the error of the wicked (2 Peter 3:17-18). We grow in grace as we grow in our knowledge of HIM. The more we know of the Word, the more grace God is able to provide. He provides grace through His Word.
