We Have Hope

“We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.”

1 Thessalonians 4:13

Billie Sicard was incredibly wealthy. She lived in a fabulous home on Sunset Island in Miami. But happiness eluded her.

After her husband left her, Billie devoted her life to her son, George. There were no limits to her devotion. Shopping sprees were normal. On his tenth birthday she gave George a 1941 Packard. She took him to school and to Scout meetings. George was Billie’s life.

But in 1954, 12-year-old George died of a brain tumor. Billie resigned from life and became a social recluse. She never left the house and cut off all contact with family and friends. Her yard became a jungle.

When she died in 1979, the house was found exactly as it had been the day of George’s death: toys in the floor, Scout uniform in the closet, a train drawn on the wall drawn in red crayon, Mickey Mouse slippers by his bed, the Packard in the garage. For 25 years, Billie roamed the house in grief with no hope of ever seeing her son again.

Facing death, whether our own or of a loved one, is one of the hardest things we do in life. But as believers we have hope—hope that another life awaits us, hope that we will be with the Lord, and hope that we will reunite with believing loved ones. We have this hope because of the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. Because he conquered death, we have the promise of God that we too will conquer death.

Yes, we will grieve when we lose a loved one, but not as those who have no hope. We grieve with resurrection hope of Jesus Christ.

Today’s One Thing

When you find yourself facing the death of a loved one or even your own death, take strength and comfort from the hope of eternal life.

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