“But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.”
April 17, 2022
I was at a funeral. The beautiful flowers were there. I walked around looking at the flowers, and I saw one beautiful bouquet. You could tell it was done by the grandchildren. This was an elderly man, a saint on this earth, a dear member of the church. And on the floral offering it said, “To Pop-Pop.”
And I stood there, as is the pastor’s habit as people come by, and I saw that precious widow, who’d walked with her husband for more than a half a century and was a lady of great faith. She was not in despair. She walked up and laid her hand on his sleeve and touched him, patted it a couple of times and turned and walked away. And I thought to myself, “Is that it? Is that all there is to life? Pop-Pop is gone? Her husband is gone?” No! Death does not have dominion! Christ is risen! Those who have fallen asleep in Christ have not perished. He is alive.
Make a list of the ways the resurrection provides hope for followers of Jesus.
Real truth never changes, and the truth about government is that it is God who ordains it, leaders who are responsible for it, and citizens who are accountable to it. The privilege of being called Americans comes with significant responsibilities—to God, to each other, and to the world.