Comfort One Another With These Words

 Comfort One Another With These Words Back in the summer of 2003, I plugged a few pieces of information into the website Deathclock.com, and it soon spit out that I had 575,122,423 seconds left to live, providing my projected day of death: Thursday, September 9, 2021. The website gave me three options: 1. Delay the date of my death through proper nutrition. 2. Freeze my bodyfor possible future reanimation (to be brought back as a vegetable, no doubt). 3. Pre-plan my funeral arrangements. I must have done something right! We can rarely predict when death will occur. Many factors affect a person's longevity—some we have control over and some we do not. There are positive effects—God's will, righteousness, and nutrition—and on the flip side, negative ones: carelessness, war, and destructive behaviors like inactivity, smoking, and gluttony. We experience death on television or in movies as an overwhelming flood that numbs us into emotionless absorption. A second or third death anesthetizes us against sympathy and compassion for the victims. Even the deaths of real individuals onthe nightly news can result in a reaction of remote, unreal indifference. Death at a distance may fascinate us, but we do not like it up close and personal. Upon the death of a close friend or family member, we experience emotions that catch us off guard. It rattles our feelings like nothing else we face. Unpreparedfor such a shock, uncomfortable feelings settle deep down into the pit of our stomachs, sickening us and making us feel helpless. During his life, King David of Israel experienced a great deal of death, and he desired to fly from its terrors. He expressed his emotions with words of despair: My heart is severely pained within me, and the terrors of death have fallen upon me. Fearfulness and trembling have come upon me, and horror has overwhelmed me. So I said, "Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest."(Psalm55:4-6) Most people experience similar times of despair from time to time, and for the average non-Christian, this empty, helpless feeling receives little or no comfort from the Scriptures and Jesus Christ's reassuring teachings since they have no faith in these things. Most people view even Jesus' death casually at best. In contrast, those who obey and truly love God receive a true understanding of death's function in human existence and Christ's good news of what is to come after it. We know that all who have died are still dead and buried in their graves, awaiting a future resurrection. Jesus asserts, "No onehas ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven" (John3:13). Peter affirms that not even David has ascended into the heavens but awaits resurrection from his grave like all the faithful (Acts2:29, 34; see Hebrews 11:39-40). The apostle Paul explains that the dead in Christ will rise first: For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel,and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one anotherwith these words (IThessalonians 4:15-18). True Christians live and die as others do, but we are never alone—especially in times of despair. Does God really notice whether those who follow Him live or die? David answers this question with simplicity, "Precious in the sight of the LORDis the death of His saints" (Psalm116:15). God the Father is forever merciful in His care for us and in providing comfort: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christabound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ. (IICorinthians 1:3-5). Many times, He provides that comfort through members of His church. All Christians have a responsibility to comfort others with words of hope regarding God's promise of resurrection to eternal life and the benefits of overcoming sin. Death, the end of the human life cycle, is only the beginning of a future joyous time for those who have an intimate relationship with their Creator: "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." Then He who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new."And He said to me, "Write, for these words are true and faithful." And He said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inheritall things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son." (Revelation21:4-7) Let us comfort one another with these words. - Martin G. Collins Live Sabbath Services Church of the Great God Sabbath services can be heard every Sabbath at 2:30 PM (Eastern Time). Connect to our live stream at www.cgg.org by clicking the CGG Live link at the top of the page Church News & Special Announcements We are saddened to report the death of Kim Myers, longtime church of God member and deacon in the Church of the Great God. He died at 5:30 AM (PDT) at the home of Nick and Michelle Weis. Michelle writes, We would like to share how the Most High walked before us and how every single detail of our prayers were abundantly answered. I write this in awe of the glory of God: 1. He died at home with us; 2. The children were at camp and witnessed none of our father's suffering or life leaving him; 3. He generously supplied the stamina we needed to care for him, and provided Nick to be at home day and night over these last weeks to sleep next to him, do the heavy lifting and preserve his dignity; 4. Our father fell asleep peacefully; and 5. Our generous God mentally and emotionally prepared us for this great loss. This is the kind and faithful Father that we are honored to worship who does ALL things in His perfect time and with great beauty. The seven of us trust Him completely in this decision. Our dear friends, thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your deep love, phone calls, visits, flowers, texts, cards, and most importantly, faithful prayers day and night without which we would have been at a great loss. Thank you, thank you, thank you.