Grieving with hope is perhaps what sets Christianity a part from the other religions of the world

It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed. —Deuteronomy 31:8 (ESV)

Recently, we received the news of another grieving family from our church with the loss of their grown daughter through circumstances unknown. 

 I sent a message via Facebook telling him how sorry I was that they had to travel down this painful road. His response back to me said it all when he described their current state of their brokenness. My response and I think it is the response of all believers who love and follow the words of Jesus was that we consider it a privilege to travel with them down this forlorn and rough path of grief.

I think this is what sets Christianity apart from other religions. 

 Most religions have a unique 'goodness' with them and I do not condemn others for following those paths. One Islamic friend referred to religion as the 'transformation of the soul' in hs talk he gave in the beginning of Transformative circles, a group that was established to build better understanding with our increasingly diverse ethnic community.

  As I started reflecting on that concept, I began to see the uniqueness of Jesus Christ and how he indwells in each of us through the Holy spirit. The moment I accepted Jesus Christ into my heart in 1974 became the cornerstone of my life.

When Peter addressed the crowd in the book of Acts chapter 2 he said these things in verse 22 “Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. 23 This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men,[d] put him to death by nailing him to the cross. 24 But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.

Peter referred to David's words about our Lord:

25 David said about him:


“‘I saw the Lord always before me.
Because he is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.
26 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
my body also will rest in hope,
27 because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,
you will not let your holy one see decay.
28 You have made known to me the paths of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence.

If one were to line up all religions on the same linear surface, one would see lines pointing up to God, with the performance of good works in order to reach God. Christianity is the only religion where God is actually pointing down and being a bridge because of what Jesus Christ did on the cross and in his resurrection, and through the power of the Holy spirit, he gives to believers.

It is this personal knowledge of God that gives all believers the assurance that when death enters our household, not only is our loved one who has died escorted into heaven with a new spiritual body, unlike their decayed earthly one, but God assures us that Jesus Christ will walk with us to help us recover from this pain.

So, when Christian believers suffer painful losses God gives us the assurance that our grieving is with hope.

As a Christian believer, it is a privilege to walk with those suffering the loss of a loved one. God calls followers of Christ o pray for grieving families, to listen to those in grief and to encourage them while they are on this painful road of missing their loved one.

This is perhaps  what sets Christianity a part from other religions of the world.