Grief, Tears and the Empty Place

 

Grief, Tears, and the Empty Place

When a loved one passes, grief happens. I have known people to grieve even when a relative was not necessarily close to them. There is just something about a person being gone from this physical world that hits many of us in crazy ways.

What I learned from the passing of my mom is that grief really is a strange thing. How one minute I would be going about my daily activities of life, minding my own business, then BAM, just like that, it hits. IT is hard to describe. It isn’t like the heaviness of when you are taking care of a sick loved one. It was different. It is just that longing to hear her voice, to see her smile, and, yes, even to argue with me. She made me laugh, and I could get her to laugh on most days when she was not well.

I can’t even imagine the pain, hurt, or grief a mother, father, or grandparent feels when a child is taken from this earth. The unfulfilled dreams a parent had for them. Many tears must fall. Anger may even happen. (We have a Prescription For Anger available. See Jesusrx.org or evapopek.com for details)

In my tears, Jesus cares. In my tears, I may not recognize that He is near. In my tears, I should be seeking Him and His comfort. In my tears, I know He can be preparing me for an assignment. I need to know Jesus lives. I need to let Him live in my life, and turn my sadness into joy.

Mary, the disciples, and I have much to rejoice over. Jesus did and always does what He says He will.

Mary Magdalene was a follower of Jesus (Mark 15:40-41). She loved Him deeply. She had been delivered from demons (Luke 8:2). She witnessed His crucifixion and resurrection. (Matthew 27:54-28:10, Mark 16:1-10, Luke 24:10, and John 19:25-20:18)

Mary went to the tomb where Jesus was buried. She was weeping. She was so sad and stooped down to look into the tomb, and it was empty. Nobody, dead or alive, was there. She couldn’t believe this. Who would take Jesus dead body? She wept, and then saw 2 angels in white, one at the head of where Jesus body had lain and one at the foot.

They asked, “Why are you weeping?” She said, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I don’t know where they laid Him”.

As she said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know it was Him. He must not have looked the same as before His death, or she was so distraught that she did not even recognize Him. I think He must have looked different, because two of the disciples He was walking behind after He rose from the grave didn't recognize Him either.

Jesus asked Mary the same questions as the angels did, “Why are you weeping? And adds “Who are you seeking?” (John 20:1-21)

Jesus cared about why Mary was weeping. Jesus cares about why we weep. He wants to know who Mary was seeking. I think that when I’m in tears over anything, I know God cares. He sent Jesus to us because of the many tears we will shed here on earth. For many, heartache and tears have led them to know the Love of God. As we seek Jesus, knowing He died for us and, better yet, rose to sit at the right hand of the Father, they see us. Jesus did not stay in that grave.

At that moment, Mary did not know that Jesus was speaking to her. She thought it was the gardener, since the gardener usually worked the hour she was in the garden. She thought maybe the gardener had placed Him somewhere else. She wanted to know where He was so she could go get Him.

Jesus said to her, “Mary!” Because of the exclamation mark (this is in the NKJV), I believe He said it the way I do when I need to get my dog Rosie's attention. I say it with force and authority. She knows the voice. Mary belonged to Jesus. He wanted to make sure she knew His voice.

Jesus called out Mary’s name with authority. She turned to him and said Robboni (I think she may have shouted it!). It means teacher. I’m sure she was so excited to see Him alive and talking to her. She wanted to stay near Him. Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father, but go to my brethren (believers) and say to them “I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.”

We are told she went and did as Jesus, her Lord asked.

Wow! She was so obedient. I wonder if she thought, “But Jesus, they won’t believe me. But Jesus, I just want to stay near you. But Jesus, I’m tired. What I just experienced is too emotional for me.” She no doubt was happy and did as Jesus asked. She seemed to know she would see Him again. She did.

I have no doubt I will get to see my loved ones again that know Jesus. He has a place for them and all those knowing Him to re-unite. Oh what a reunion it will be. Glorifying the Lord in truth and Spirit, not room for the flesh.

John 20:19 we see Jesus words “Peace be with you” and as He breathed on them, He said  “Receive the Holy Spirit.”  Peace be with you the common Jewish greeting is still used today (Shalom alekem).

Peace was Jesus’s gift to His followers by virtue of His sacrificial death on the cross. (NKJV study notes).  As Easter time approaches and we remember His resurrection, keep in mind the gift of His peace to those who follow Him. Seek His peace when you grieve, joy will come in the morning. Maybe not the next morning, but it will come.

We have the Prescription For Peace workbook available. See my website Jesusrx.org or evapopek.com for details. We offer 5 week sessions on each prescription. If interested send me a message from my website.

I have been given peace that passes all understanding because of His promises. May you continue in His word and my peace abound in the midst of your tears.

 

Does the "Government" stir up Anger in you?

 

For the one asking for a prescription “to get through" their anger when it comes to the government

The Great Physician has written the prescription for your emotions — the good, the bad, and the ugly ones. So what is God’s prescription for all the hate right now? It’s the same as it has always been. His prescription should never be discontinued. More need it, and refuse to seek what the Great Physician has for them, so here we are.

Some look to government for “the prescription”. God instituted the government. We can see from Romans chapter 13 why the government was instituted. Government is ordained by God to reward good and to punish evil. If we keep in mind that fallible people run the government, it helps us better understand why we have such problems. Those in government need God's wisdom just as we all do. Here’s a prescription: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: all who follow His precepts have good understanding. To Him belongs eternal praise.   (Psalm 111:10). Some have no regard for God or His ways; they go around without understanding, so here we are.

If we look at Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, “Government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth,” what does that mean? Here is an article that explains it.

 https://www.socratic-method.com/quote-meanings-and-interpretations/abraham-lincoln-government-of-the-people-by-the-people-for-the-people-shall-not-perish-from-the-earth

The last paragraph says, “Ultimately, this quote serves as a timeless reminder that the strength and longevity of any government rest in the ability to genuinely serve and reflect the will of the people.  I put the will of the people in bold letters, because this is where we have “the problem”. We want what we want, our will, not God’s will. God’s will and ways are not our ways. (Isaiah 55:8). Once we receive Jesus, we can be taught by the Holy Spirit, and through reading the Bible and gathering with those who love Jesus, we will know more of God’s will and ways. We will never know all of His ways, for it is beyond our understanding (Ecclesiastes 8:16-17). It is beyond me why He loves us so much, but again, that is His way, to love us before we even came to Him.

How do we live in peace with one another? Those who receive Jesus do have peace with God, seek His ways, and above all, show love to others. Showing love to others does not mean allowing their sin to become our sin. True love does not promote evil. EVER. God's will is that all will come to know Him. He made it possible through Jesus. (1 Timothy 2:3-6). Those who know Jesus are called upon to pray for those who do not. To pray that others may find their way to God.

 A close family member asked me once if I really think God set up a democracy. When you really start to think about it and look further into God’s Word, I would say no. I read an article by Ivette Irizarry, published on July 2, 2015, which explains why democracy does not align with God’s ways. You can read the article here:  https://versebyverseministry.org/bible-answers/god-does-not-believe-in-democracy?locale=en

I then looked up this other article, which made sense as well. I respect where it says that democracy and Christianity are compatible. There is a note to the atheist who speaks of separation between church and state. A quick read may be in order, and you can find it here:

https://www.gotquestions.org/democracy-Christian.html

So when we get angry, who are we angry with? Government, evil people, the President, people who don’t think the same as we do? What causes you to be sad? Killing of innocent lives? Quick side question, so are you unhappy at every abortion and innocent life lost in that procedure? Does sadness lead to depression? I know when I feel somber, it often will lead to depression if I don’t take the Great Physician's prescription. There is a reason for somberness. I began this post on 9/11, 24 years ago, the day the attacks took many lives and changed the landscape of a city. Instead of the twin towers, now lies a memorial. The landscape was not just changed but many hearts were as well.

Without God’s prescription for Wisdom, which is what? The beginning, just the beginning of wisdom, is to fear the Lord. God’s ways bring peace, not hate and confusion, to one another. Yes, it brings hate against the dreadful, awful ways of the enemy. Just as God wants to use His people for good works, the enemy will use his for evil deeds. You will know them by their deeds. (James 3:17), For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. ( Ephesians 2:10). What kind of work are you doing?

This is the prescription I've found to help me navigate emotions that could stop me from moving forward. Because I know how powerful this medication is to my heart, mind, and soul, I take it daily. Praying you find it heals you, and you will be able to let Faith triumph in trouble.

5 Therefore, having been justified by faith, ^[a]we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ² through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. ³ And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces ^[b]perseverance; ⁴ and perseverance, ^[c]character; and character, hope. ⁵ Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

⁶ For when we were still without strength, ^[d]in due time Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷ For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. ⁸ But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. ⁹ Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. ¹⁰ For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. ¹¹ And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

Stay Healhy and in His Word!

The JesusRx prescription for life workbook is available at https://evapopek.com/

and also on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=book+by+eva+popek&crid=27Q0QVLZ42JEG&sprefix=book+by+eva+popek%2Caps%2C183&ref=nb_sb_noss