Over the past two months while being on the race, I was informed that my last grandpa (aged 93) and one of my second cousins (aged 29) had passed away.
It’s the strangest feeling finding out information like this unexpectedly from across the world. I didn’t know what to think or feel. A part of me wanted to be devastated and cry with the rest of my relatives and be back home to support and comfort them, especially those who don’t know Jesus. However, another part of me also felt this strange sense of peace, hope and joy that my grandpa and cousin were now in a better place and I would one day see them again.
When my friends and I were getting ready to catch our flight to see Everest, I felt the same sense of peace and joy because I knew that if God took me now to be with Him, I would get to meet him; I would get to see my friends and family that had already passed away and I would get to spend the rest of eternity with Jesus.
Reading 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 recently, and knowing today is the day that my family is celebrating the life my cousin had lived, I wanted to encourage everyone who has lost someone close to them with these verses – “Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord for ever. Therefore encourage each other with these words.”
The past few months and today could be considered very sad days, but instead, I consider them days where we can celebrate and remember the lives my grandpa and cousin lived and the impact they made in people’s lives, including mine. There are an inspiration and example to all of us who are still alive. I just hope we can take away and learn from their lives, and live in belief that one day, we will get to see them again.
