Two years ago, my dear friend Nicole stepped from this life into eternity. Itâs not lost on me that this year, as we celebrate the hope of the resurrection, we do so on the very day she received her resurrection bodyâhealed, whole, and forever in the presence of Jesus.
At her memorial,
@nicholasplombardi shared from 1 Corinthians 15 and reminded us what it means for death to be swallowed up in victory. It doesnât mean death doesnât sting. It doesnât mean we donât grieve. I still mourn the fact that her time here felt far too short. I miss her deeply.
But it does mean that our pain is not without hope. It means our sorrow is met with a promiseâthat for those who are in Christ Jesus, death is not the end. The grave doesnât get the final word. Jesus does.
âWhen the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality,
then shall come to pass the saying that is written:
âDeath is swallowed up in victory.â
âO death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?â
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.â â 1 Corinthians 15:54â57
So today, I grieve and rejoice all at once. I mourn the loss of my friend, but I celebrate the victory of our Savior. Nicole livesâtruly livesâin the presence of the One who conquered death. And because of Him, so will we.
