Read: Romans 8:38-39

Neither death nor life . . . will be able to separate us from the love of God. (vv. 38-39)

It’s likely that you’ve heard this passage read at a funeral or memorial service. I remember reciting it aloud in unison with more than a dozen of my cousins at the service for one of my grandfathers. In some ways it felt like our presence and our voices were living proof that death could not separate us from our grandpa; his life and legacy reverberated as our lives continued on. The pain of his death was real, but we were and are still mysteriously bound to him by the God from whose love we can never be severed, neither in life nor in death.

God is the link of love that holds us across the distance of grief. We may not always feel that in convincing ways—there may be times when we feel utterly cut off from our loved ones and even from the sense of God’s love and care. It is in those difficult times that the body of Christ can enfold us, repairing the linkages through the bonds of community so that we might heal enough to experience God’s presence anew. Grief can be isolating and disorienting; thanks be to God that as members of the body of Christ we do not have to tread this path alone. Where in your life right now are there others who are struggling with the loss of loved ones, who might benefit from a simple expression of care?

Prayer:

Lord, assure us that nothing in all creation can separate us from your love.

Jessica Bratt Carle

https://woh.org/