March 30
”Goodbye for now”
I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me. 2 Samuel 12:23 (NKJV)
Mourning is an unavoidable part of the human experience. Life on earth is temporary, and sooner or later we’re going to have to say goodbye to every life that is near and dear to us in this world. It’s a painful reality, but there’s just no way around it.
You might be thinking, Thanks for starting my day off on such a positive note! But as we continue to examine eternity’s impact on our earthly existence, we can’t neglect its impact on our mourning for those we love. The Bible is unmistakably clear on this point: every believer in Christ Jesus who passes away is ushered into Heaven, where we will eventually be reunited with him or her.
That’s the understanding that David had as he mourned the death of his newborn son. David declared that he would eventually go to be with his son, but that his son would not return to him. It’s clear that David is referring to the afterlife. He’s recognizing that his son was now with God in Heaven and that he would one day join him there. The relationship wasn’t over. It was just temporarily on hold.
We see the same truth woven throughout God’s Word. Whether it’s Jacob going to be with his father (Genesis 49:33) or Paul’s promise that all believers will one day be together (1 Thessalonians 4:17); for those who receive His promises and His truth by faith, there is always the assurance that they will join those who share this trust in eternity.
From this standpoint, goodbye is never really goodbye. It’s “Goodbye for now.” And no matter how painful our mourning is here on earth, it can’t begin to compare with the torrent of joy that will mark our reunion in Heaven.
You have turned for me my mourning into dancing… (Psalms 30:11 NKJV)
Think About It…
What does this passage reveal to me about God?
What does this passage reveal to me about myself?
Based on this, what changes do I need to make?
What is my prayer for today?
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