Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Dear Platt Family, I would like to express my deepest sympathy for the loss of Anneliese. I lost my mom not too long ago and I know how deep the pain can cut. Many people offered their condolences, but for me the words were washed away with my tears. I was however, able to find comfort in the Scriptures and I would like to share a few with you. The loss of a loved one is never an easy experience. While Jesus was on the earth, his close friend Lazarus died. Although this pained Jesus, he likened death to a sleep, from where we could be easily awakened. Upon arriving to Lazarus' burial, Jesus prayed and then with a loud voice said, "Come on out Lazarus!"(John 11:1-43)Yes, he showed he had the God given powers to forgive sin and to resurrect the dead. In fact, the resurrection from the dead was part of Jewish belief(John 11:23-26)and is central to Christianity. In Act 24:15 the apostle Paul said, "I have hope towards God which hope these men also entertain, that there is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous." Yes, may your hearts not be troubled, for God furnished us this fact with the resurrection of Jesus - on which our whole faith is anchored(1Corinthians 15:13-19). And once more, we are built up by what it says there in Revelations 20:11-13, "......And the sea gave up those dead in it and death and Hades gave up those dead in them and they were judged individually according to their deeds." Yes, God's plan is to bring back to life those who have died and then ultimately to get rid of death itself as said there in Revelation 21:4,"... and DEATH will be no more, neither will MOURNING nor OUTCRY nor PAIN be anymore..." So please know God has you in mind during your time of grief and will provide the ultimate comfort for you and yours in the near future. Until then, I hope these scriptures will help you have a measure of peace during this difficult time. If you would like more information about the Bible and what happens to us when we die, please feel free to contact me at the e-mail address provided Re:A_Platt. Sincerely, David Turner
