As we grieve the loss of a loved one, it is easy to ask how God could do this, "How could He let this happen?", or even out-right blame him for taking them from us, but I have realized that God is simply welcoming them back home. Could it be that "simple"?
Our world is polluted with evil, from the terrible things people do to one another, to the cancer-causing cells that steal our loved ones from us. But....we must remember, that although we are surrounded by evil, He is still and will always be GOOD. He did not cause our loved one to die from this terrible disease...God is just "simply there" to welcome them home. He is there to guide those of us that are left behind, through our grief. He is there to help mold us into something better, having gone through loss. That being said, the devil is also there, ready to pounce...steal our faith and cause doubt.
THEN there is the other way of leaving this Earth...it wasn't necessarily caused by the evil's of this world but it was just their time to go...
Picture your child at a friend's birthday party. It was a sleep over, so you are eager to see them the next morning. They are still playing and enjoying each other, it's wonderful to see your child so happy. You are there to pick him up and bring him home, he wants to stay and play some more, maybe you let him stay a bit longer, maybe you have to head home right away, regardless, when it's time to go, it's time to go. The other kids don't want him to leave either, your child may even cry and beg to stay, but as a parent we bring them home, regardless. AND, we are happy to have our child back home with us, whether they were ready to come home or not. Plus, you know that this isn't the last play date with those friends...he will get to see them again.
What if God has let us do our playing, let us enjoy one another, let us stay until the last possible moment before bringing us back home?! Whether we are ready or not, it is His decision. This decision is not up for negotiation, just like the parent at the party. He is overjoyed that we are home even though there are loved ones, back on Earth (like the friends at the party) still upset that we had to leave. He gives us the knowledge to know that we are not separated forever, but will be reunited in Heaven again!
I can picture, way back...the disciples all sitting around the table at the last supper, Jesus tells them that he will be forsaken and that He will have to leave them, they are upset, they don't want Him to leave them, but it is all in God's plan. I don't believe that God was overly worried for those left behind to mourn, he simply saw the big picture, knowing that they too, would be reunited in Christ!
Sin and evil was to blame for Jesus's death, God did not "cause" them to crucify Him, but instead "saved" us all, causing ALL GOOD to come of it! Do you think that his loving followers could see the good that was being done during this terrible act? Do you think they were so grieve-stricken that they could only feel pain?
1 Thessalonians 4:13-15
13 And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died[f] so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died.
15 We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died.[g] 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the Christians who have died[h] will rise from their graves. 17 Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. 18 So encourage each other with these words.
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