Everyone grieves in their own way. In today's lesson Ezekiel's wife dies. He is commanded by God not to show any outward expression of grief. He can groan within. But, he is to go about the day as if it was just another day. This is to be done as a sign to Israel that the sanctuary will be desecrated and when their own sons and daughters will die by the sword they will not be afforded the opportunity to grieve them openly. Instead they will waste away as they are left to grieve within themselves.
Everyone grieves in there own way. Funerals and Memorial Services are more so for the living than for the dead. We need a way to begin to grieve and we do this by sharing the stories of our loved one. We do this by sharing stories of their faith and faithfulness. We do this openly. Even if one does not openly participate in the sharing of their stories or visible signs of their grief; they are listening. They are hearing. They are grieving.
It is not always so; but, often, those who are not allowed free expression of their grief in whatever manner they personally grieve will internalize it and begin to waste away. The wasting away may not be physical. Rather, it might be spiritual or emotional. So often after the funeral, friends disappear. They do not want to hear and share in the grief of spouses or children or parents. They want to get on with life and they want the person who is grieving to get on with life. Living life is a good thing. But, remember, that we all grieve in our own way and grief can very well be a life-long experience. If you love them, allow them the stories, the memories. For in remembering, we are re-membered (re-connected) to the loved ones we have lost.
Can you imagine how much Ezekiel's wife endured just being married to Ezekiel? You don't get to hear much about her, only her death. And... even her death is not allowed to be publicly grieved.
We all grieve in our own way. May God help us to be a comfort to others in their times of loss.
God's Peace - Pr. J
Everyone grieves in there own way. Funerals and Memorial Services are more so for the living than for the dead. We need a way to begin to grieve and we do this by sharing the stories of our loved one. We do this by sharing stories of their faith and faithfulness. We do this openly. Even if one does not openly participate in the sharing of their stories or visible signs of their grief; they are listening. They are hearing. They are grieving.
It is not always so; but, often, those who are not allowed free expression of their grief in whatever manner they personally grieve will internalize it and begin to waste away. The wasting away may not be physical. Rather, it might be spiritual or emotional. So often after the funeral, friends disappear. They do not want to hear and share in the grief of spouses or children or parents. They want to get on with life and they want the person who is grieving to get on with life. Living life is a good thing. But, remember, that we all grieve in our own way and grief can very well be a life-long experience. If you love them, allow them the stories, the memories. For in remembering, we are re-membered (re-connected) to the loved ones we have lost.
Can you imagine how much Ezekiel's wife endured just being married to Ezekiel? You don't get to hear much about her, only her death. And... even her death is not allowed to be publicly grieved.
We all grieve in our own way. May God help us to be a comfort to others in their times of loss.
God's Peace - Pr. J
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