Sleeping on the Promises

When my parents died I was forced to reexamine a truth that I had believed in academically but had never, until that moment, tested.

Did I, or did I not, believe in the afterlife? If I didn't, then the road ended there. All I would have left would be memories and a few momentoes. If I did, then I would see mom and dad again.

Curling the mind around such a concept is difficult. After all, I don't know anyone personally who has come back from the dead—except Jesus.

That's a huge exception, and the point.

Paul writes: "Brothers we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him" —1 Thessalonians 4:13, 14.

As Jesus is our example in everything else in life, He is our example in death as well. He lives, and because He lives, so do mom and dad. And so will I. When I fall "asleep" it will only be to wake up in the glory of His presence and to enjoy the happy reunion with those I have loved.

This is a promise to go to sleep on.