Where, O Death, Is Your Victory?

Hey, Y'all,

Another quiet, contemplative RST today...

Got some more sad news over the weekend, that my cousins Todd and Michelle unexpectedly lost their father...And again the question presses in--what do you say? What can you say when words are so hopelessly limited in the face of that kind of loss? Reminds me of a quote of Max Lucado's that talks about tears being messengers that tumble from our eyes and down our cheeks to splash on the floors of our hearts where crippled words can not go.

Primos, Amanda, others of you traversing the valley of the shadow of death--there are no words, there really aren't. The only thing there is, is the belief that this is NOT all there is...

God will wipe away every tear from their eyes;
there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying.
There shall be no more pain,
for the former things have passed away.
Revelation 21:4

I also think of Paul, almost defiant in his insistence, looking forward to that day when his quoting of Hosea in 1 Corinthians 15 will finally ring true and not hollow...

Death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?

So, you've all been prayed for today as always, and that prayer contains not a little of the closing of Revelation 22, the very end of the Bible...

He who testifies to these things says,
"Look! I am coming quickly."
So be it! Come, Lord Jesus!

The grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be upon you.

Amen.