“Our Friend . . . Sleepeth”
THERE is hardly a family without its absent member. There are few homes in which the roll can be called and all answer “Here.” In our family circles there are voices and faces which live only in the memory. We still have a vivid recollection of the closed eyes, the folded hands, the hush in the household, the solemn service, and the last journey to the quiet resting place. “Earth to earth, dust to dust,” said the minister, as the handful of earth was thrown into the open grave, and then in subdued tones the notes of the hymn were heard:— “Asleep in Jesus! blessed sleep
From which none ever wake to weep;
A calm and undisturbed repose,
Unbroken by the last of foes.”
“Asleep.” Yes, that is the word. And then we recall the words of the Master, “Our friend Lazarus sleepeth.” And again, “Weep not; for she is not dead, but sleepeth.” And linked with these statements come the helpful words, “I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.” Ah, there is hope for us; not simply a longing desire, but a well-grounded hope. We shall meet them again. It will be only a little while. And so, looking up into the sunlight of our Father’s face, we see in our very tears a miniature representation of the rainbow round about the throne, “the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord,” and we are comforted. When we face death, we learn the quality of our Christianity. Faith in the work of Jesus for us robs death of its dread. Our Saviour has delivered us who, otherwise, through fear of death would all our lifetime have been subject to bondage. He has conquered him that had the power of death. He has “abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.” He has the keys of death and of hades. He who believes this has the victory over death. He cannot be holden of it. He falls asleep himself, or he lays away loved ones, with the full confidence that “the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.” And this hope lights up the valley of the shadow of death. By his work in our behalf Jesus has changed death into a sleep. Both the living and the sleeping are in his care. The homes of the living and the resting places of the sleeping are known to him. And so “whether we live, we live unto the Lord; or whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.” In his death and resurrection is our hope, whether we wake or whether we sleep; for the power that can keep us from sin while we live can bring us forth from the land of the enemy. “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? . . . Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” To the heart of every mourner we would speak words of comfort. Our Father knows all about our sorrow. Jesus has wept with us. “His grief [at the death of Lazarus] was not alone because of the scene before him. The weight of the grief of ages was upon his soul, and, looking down the years that were to come, he saw the suffering and sorrow, tears and death, that were to be the lot of men. His heart was pierced with the pain of the human family of all ages and in all lands. The woes of the sinful race were heavy on his soul, and the fountain of his tears was broken up, as he longed to relieve all their distress.” Bereaved mother, Jesus wept with you. Sorrowing husband, Jesus wept with you. Lonely widow, Jesus wept with you. Ah, the divine Sufferer suffers with us in all our suffering. This is divine sympathy. How cheering is the thought of the great re-union which is now so near at hand. “When the weary ones we love
To the silent land remove,
Though the earth seems poor and
waste,
All our life-joy overcast,—
Hush! be every murmur dumb;
It is only—‘Till he come.’”
This is the Christian’s hope. And the time is so short that we may wait with courage. To-day we are parted, but we shall meet again when Jesus comes. Take heart, O troubled one. “Soon will the Master come.”