Good Grief
My best friend’s son called. “Wade,” he said, “This is Phil Lively. Dad died today.” I was not surprised. His father was old and ill. I had tried to call him earlier, and he did not answer. I feared he might be in the hospital. I was right. Bob was ninety-three and had a bad fall. Phil reported he “went downhill fast after the fall.”
Like I said, I was not surprised; but I was disappointed. He was such a good man and such a good friend. The world has become poorer with his passing. I have reached the age where my friends die regularly. I had hardly put the phone down with Phil when I read of another good friend’s demise.
The hapless Charlie Brown had an expression for it, “Good grief.” Good grief! It is a conundrum. How can grief be good? I read where Arnold Schwarzenegger lamented the passing of friends. “Think about it,” he said. “They are gone forever. You will never see them again.” Apparently, Mr. Schwarzenegger is not a Christian and is unaware of the eternal life Jesus made possible. That brings me back to the expression, good grief.
Grief is the lament over the loss of someone or something. My parents are deceased. They died more than fifty years ago. I think about them almost every day. Sometimes I dream about them. The thoughts and dreams can be painful. That pain is grief. When I grieve, my thoughts quickly turn heavenward. God has provided a beautiful life for believers after we die.
The apostle Paul explained it this way. On earth our soul is contained in a human body. When we die, God gives our soul a heavenly body---a spiritual body that is not limited by time and space. Then we go to live joyously, painlessly with God for eternity. (I Thessalonians 4:13-18)
The words above are true and meant to comfort. However, I do not wish to conclude this column without commending my late friend Bob Lively. I was a new pastor in Sikeston, Missouri. Bob was pastor in the north part of town. He stopped by my office to welcome me. His warmth and genuineness encouraged me. We became great friends. I grieve his passing; but I rejoice in his presence with God, and that is good. Good grief.
Thanks be to God!
