THE FAMILY ALTAR

April 25.

"I am the Resurrection and the Life: he that believeth in Me,

though he were dead, yet shall he live; and whosoever liveth and

believeth in Me shall never die." John 11:25.

What adorable words these words of our blessed Savior are!

How all dark fears and doubts in the presence of death must

vanish before them, even as the dark shadows of night must vanish

before the victorious, golden morning sun! He has proved it,

our divine Lord and Savior, that He is in reality the Resurrection

and the Life, has proved it in raising Lazarus from the dead and,

above all, in His own victorious resurrection. He rose from the

dead for our sake to bring life and immortality to light. Hence

Luther declares that the words vivit (He lives) and resurrexit

(He is risen) ought to be written in letters reaching from earth

to heaven, that everybody could read them and take comfort in

them. Do we always find unfailing comfort in these divine words

when we think of our departed loved ones? Or do we think and

say as so many do: "Oh, if the Lord would only bring my dear

ones back from the grave alive, as He did Lazarus, how joyfully

I would believe in Him"? But, dear mourning heart, that would

not be believing, but seeing. Blessed, however, are they that do

not see and yet believe. Remember that the resurrection of Lazarus

was not a resurrection to immortal life, but only temporary. He

and his weeping sisters had to go through the same painful ex-

perience again when death came a second time. Would you be

willing to do that? Can you really wish your departed dear ones,

who are now so happy with the Lord, back again in this world

of sin, and misery, and woe? Certainly not! Why, then, not

take comfort and still that aching heart of yours with the fact

that the risen Savior is with you, as He certainly is in His blessed

Word, and also says to you: Lazarus, that is, your dear one,

sleeps; but I will awake him out of sleep, and you shall see him

again with Me. For "I am the Resurrection and the Life; who-

soever believeth in Me shall never die."

They are not dead, but Sleeping,

The loved for whom we mourn,

At rest in Christ's strong keeping,

No longer trouble-worn.

Why, then, should we keep weeping

With hearts sad and forlorn?

They are not dead, but sleeping,

The loved for whom we mourn. 

                                         F. W. H.