Will We See You Again?

It’s been a long day without you, my friend.
And I’ll tell you all about it, when I see you again.
We’ve come a long way from where we began.
Oh, I’ll tell you all about it, when I see you again,
When I see you again.
—See You Again from the Furious 7 soundtrack

Is there anyone on the planet who can’t relate to this beautiful and poetic opening to the song See You Again? The song is a tribute from the perspectives of the Fast and Furious crew to the late Paul Walker, who died tragically in a car crash in 2013. But my guess is the reason the video has well over 350,000,000 views, is that we all have been touched by death. Unfortunately, separation and loss are a part of what it means to be a human being, and while no two experiences with death are the same, they all create some very painful days.

But as the song says, “I’ll tell you all about it, when I see you again.”

And isn’t the hope of seeing someone who has passed away again the only true healing comfort in existence? Think about it, if there is no chance of reuniting with friends and family that have departed this earth, then where is the consolation in those dark times?

But for the atheist, there is no hope. Death means the end of existence and ultimate extinction, so you won’t see them again.

For the Buddhist, there is no hope. People are reincarnated, so death means entering into the unknown, so you won’t see them again.

For the Hindus and Muslims and Mormons, hope of reuniting with loved ones is distorted by the belief that people entering into the afterlife might be in a different caste, or be trapped in the torturing hell of Allah’s hand, or in a different Mormon heaven. So you might not see them again either.

How refreshing, then, is the promise from the Word of God! Feel the hope contained in these words from the Bible:

And regarding the question, friends, that has come up about what happens to those already dead and buried, we don’t want you in the dark any longer. First off, you must not carry on over them like people who have nothing to look forward to, as if the grave were the last word. Since Jesus died and broke loose from the grave, God will most certainly bring back to life those who died in Jesus (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14, The Message).

Here’s the way a different translation puts it:

And now, dear brothers, I want you to know what happens to a Christian when he dies so that when it happens, you will not be full of sorrow, as those are who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and then came back to life again, we can also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him all the Christians who have died (NLT).

For those who follow Jesus, people are ultimately non-material souls who are ever-living and never-dying. Those who have trusted in Jesus will be resurrected one day, so even death itself is simply a temporary parting that is softened by the fact that a great reunion will happen on the other side!

Can’t you just picture that day? Graves emptied out, and loved ones reunited in a tearful celebration that will last through eternity.

That doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t be sad, or grieve deeply when our loved ones die—even Jesus wept at the graveside—but we need to hang our hope on the truth that death is simply not the final word in this life or the life to come.

This is why THE Cause is so important. Not sharing the gospel with our friends and family who don’t know Jesus is not an option, when you consider what is at stake. Heaven and hell hang in the balance of this simple message, and when you lead someone to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, they pass from eternal death to life.

In other words, if we want to see them again later, we must share the gospel with them now!

So for those of you who, like me, have recently lost loved ones, or are still grieving over a death from long ago, lock this great truth in the deepest chambers of your heart. Each day will be a long day without the folks we spent so much time with. But in Christ, we will have the chance to tell them all about it, when we see them again!

Flashpoint: Ignite Into Action

Do you want to see your friends again? Then be active in sharing your faith! Think of each opportunity as your last to share the good news of Jesus Christ.

Accelerant: Fuel for THE Cause

Pray: Father, thank you for your promise of the resurrection that was proven by Your Son’s resurrection. Help us see each person we meet as an ever-living, never-dying child of God who needs to hear the gospel.

Read: 1 Thessalonians 4:16. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves.

Get:  Life in 6 Words App. With the Life in 6 Words interactive mobile app, you can use your phone to start a spiritual conversation that holds out the hope of eternal life. The striking graphics of the six words of the GOSPEL—God, Our, Sins, Paying, Everyone, Life—help you clearly communicate Jesus’ invitation to trust in Him. Download it today!