Meditation

Read: Romans 6:1-11

If we have been united with [Christ] in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his.

–Romans 6:5 (NIV)

Our entire community was shocked when three local high-school students tragically died in an auto accident just days before their graduation. I had taught two of the boys and remembered them fondly. Tears streamed down my face as I drove to school the next morning. I prayed for their families, for their friends, and for guidance in how to console my students. I didn’t want them to see that I had been crying, so before getting out of my car I wiped away my tears in an attempt to appear strong. One of my students passed me in the hallway and must have noticed my puffy, red eyes. She stopped and quietly said, “I think you need a hug.” She gave me a hug and together we shed some more tears. Her compassion showed me it was OK to cry.

I learned that being strong in the wake of tragedy doesn’t require hiding our sadness. As Christians we know that even in the midst of our distress we can remain strong in the assurance that death is not the end. As we struggle through times of grief, the promise given to us through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ strengthens us, gives us hope, and enables us to persevere.

Prayer—Thank you, God, for your son, Jesus Christ, whose resurrection assures us that death is not the end. Amen.

Thought for the Day—My strength comes from the Lord.

—Jill Allen Maisch, Maryland