Lately it feels like time is streaming by in blurred days of exhaustion and rewarding lessons. Normally it's pretty easy to recall memories and experiences from the past week, but today I feel like my brain has taken a well-earned nap.
I received word that a good friend of mine from a past area was killed in a shooting last week. I hadn't really experienced what it felt like to have someone you talked to and laughed with on a regular basis suddenly die before this mission.
Now I've had eight different friends pass away in different ways in the past year and a half, none of which from a gradual decline in health. All sudden and immediate, though I was never present at the time of their passing. In concept, death seems like it shouldn't create an emotional crater when faith of life after death through Christ's Resurrection resides in my heart, but it still does. I was wondering about the relationship death, sorrow, hope, and life have with each other throughout the entire week, crowning on Easter Sunday during my lunch break. I was reading different accounts of the Resurrection and how "The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death", of how "the grave will have no victory", and how "all shall be made alive in Christ", yet despite the power of the promises, there still was no direct answer as to why sorrow is needed to accompany death, regardless of faith.
It was here that I stumbled on the earlier account of Lazarus's death and rising even before Christ had died. It struck me as clear as day in the shortest scripture in the bible that read, "Jesus wept." The whole story of Lazarus is riddled with weeping, but the two word verse of the creator of death, life, and love itself actually breaking down in tears hit me home. The two-turned power of sorrow is essential to feel in order to experience the full capacities of joy and relief. It's good to feel pain. It's good to feel sorrow. It's good to cry in tear after tear and feel deep holes of sadness open up in your heart because those holes are made to be filled. You can never taste the sweet solution of Christ's grace when your cup hasn't been emptied in agony.
Following Christ's honest tears came the world-changing miracle of Lazarus's rise from death, the pinnacle of faith-building experiences for Christ's following disciples that had to feel the anguish in order to feel the relief of not only seeing their friend and brother again, but knowing without a doubt that Jesus Christ is in actuality "the way, the truth, and the life". Storms of emotions will always pass, no matter how much damage they seem to wreck on us. It's the beauty that follows a passed black cloud that streams in the real tears of joy, letting us know in our hearts that hope will always be above the storm, just waiting to radiate warmth back down to us. It's no coincidence that we celebrate the Resurrection at the dawn of Spring. :)
xoxo
Elder Burgess
Bet you've never seen a pit-bull eat goat food next to a baby goat and lamb before.
Woodstock, baby >:)
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