Lindsay and Emily, Is there a right way to grieve?

Grand Rapids, MI, the place of our daughter's grave.

I did not frequent the grave site of my daughter Lindsay and my grand-daughter, Emily Hope as much as I did the first and second year of her death. My wife, Robyn every Easter faithfully goes there to remember the promise of our Lord, found in John 6:40, "For this is the will of My Father that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day."

People vary in how often they go to grave after there loved one dies. There is certainly no biblical mandate for how often it should be done.   My visits are usually not planned. And so it was with this visit. I happened to be going by the cemetery and decided that I would visit the grave site. When I go to the cemetery, I begin to cry almost immediately. I still remember the day when our precious daughter and her daughter in her arms were lowered into the grave. My grief on that day cannot be described.

Eight years later, as I looked upon the grave stone with both Lindsay’s and Emily’s picture on it, I was strongly impressed with the Scripture of an angel at the empty tomb of Christ saying, to the women who stood by , "Why do you seek the living One among the dead” (Luke 24:5 NASB)?

The angel was speaking to them of a Christ that is raised. But I knew that all who are in Christ are living for Him, whether they are on Earth or Heaven. This is way we put on the grave stone, safe in the harbor, to be with Christ, which is far better.

In Florida

It has been about twelve years and six months since Lindsay's body along with Emily Hope was lowered into the grave. Robyn and I have moved to Florida, away from the grave site a couple of years ago.We can only now visit the grave when we are in Michigan. Our belief in the Bible and the resurrection have not changed. And if you are alive and reading this blog it is not to late. You can be saved from your sins.  Christ can redeem you from an eternal hell. He shed His blood for your sins, the Just for the unjust. If you have faith in the Lord Jesus, you then will have a place in eternity forever. If you are a skeptic,  listen carefully to the words of Peter, an apostle of Christ.

"For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For when He received honor and glory from God the Father, such an utterance as this was made to Him by the Majestic Glory, "This is My beloved Son with whom I am well-pleased, and we ourselves heard this utterance made from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain. So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God ( 2 Peter 1:16-21, NASB)." Let me know if you have made your decision to be saved after reading this blog.

For the born again believer in Christ 
Beloved Christian, no matter how great your sorrow is, God someday will cause it to cease. It is not wrong to visit a grave and to grieve. But we must as Paul told Timothy; "Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descendant of David, according to my gospel" (2 Timothy 2:8, NASB).

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