RBT: GALATIANS 1-3
TEXT: 2 SAMUEL 1:1-12
HYMN: BH 372: GOD BE WITH YOU TILL WE MEET AGAIN
1 God be with you till we meet again,
By His counsels guide, uphold
you,
With His sheep securely fold you,
God be with you till we
meet again.
Refrain
Till we meet, till we meet,
Till we meet at Jesus’
feet;
Till we meet, till we meet,
God be with you till we meet
again.
2 God be with you till we meet again,
’Neath His wings protecting hide you,
Daily manna still divide you,
God be with you till we meet again. [Refrain]
When life’s perils thick confound you,
Put His arms unfailing round you,
God be with you till we meet again. [Refrain]
4 God be with you till we meet again,
Keep love’s banner floating
o’er you,
Smite death’s threatening wave before you,
God be
with you till we meet again. [Refrain]
Golden Text: They mourned and wept and fasted till evening for Saul and his
son Jonathan. 2 Samuel 1:12, NIV
Although death is inevitable to all humankind, the thought of losing a
beloved person could be painful. Many people express sadness at the
death of their beloved ones through crying, wearing of sackcloth, and
singing of dirge and so on. However, psychologists say that mourning
could be therapeutic to those who grieve for their dead, but should be
done with caution.
The young man who claimed to have killed Saul described the fierceness
of the battle between the Israelites and the Amalekites. He narrated how
the Israelites fled before the Amalekites while many soldiers died
including Saul and Jonathan. Having explained falsely how Saul died (1
Samuel 31:4), David and all the soldiers with him tore their cloths,
cried and fasted to mourn Saul, Jonathan, Israel’s army and their
country. They grieved over them because they died in the battle. David
considered the death of the two of them a great loss and dishonour to
Israel.
It is not wrong to mourn the death, especially one’s beloved. But in
mourning, one should be cautioned. As believers, we should not mourn the
death of other believers like unbelievers who have no hope. Everyone who
dies in Christ has the hope of resurrection. Rejoicing over the death of
wicked people should not be the attitude of true believers. We should
rather mourn that such a person does not have a hope of
resurrection.
WISDOM: The memory of the dead in Christ is blessed.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Do you have an unconditional love for people?
FOLLOW-UP ACTION: Pray for your family members who are yet to know Christ.
PRAYER: O Lord, grant me and my beloved long life. May nothing cut our days
short?
O Lord, deliver me from the hands of the wicked in Jesus’ name.
