Daily Devotional for January 17, 2018
Power over Death
Editor’s note: This story’s subject matter may not be appropriate for young children.
Tom looked sad as she hung up the phone. “Kinley, Daniel,” she began. “I’m so sorry, but Jalen died this morning.”
Daniel tried to comfort his younger sister as she began to cry. Jalen was their friend and next door neighbor, and he had been sick for a long time. “At least he became a Christian at camp last summer,” Daniel said. “That means he’s with Jesus now.”
Several weeks later, Kinley and Daniel walked home from school with Jalen’s sister, Audra. “Did you know that people who die can still talk to you?” she asked excitedly. “Tomorrow my parents and I are going to a séance. That’s a meeting where there’s a medium—a person who contacts spirits of people who have died. The medium said she might be able to contact Jalen’s spirit so we can talk to him!”
Daniel and Kinley gave each other worried looks as Audra waved goodbye and walked up the driveway to her house. When they got home, they told Mom what Audra had said.
“I can’t imagine how they must be feeling right now,” Mom said sadly. “But the Bible says trying to contact people who have died is wrong. Only God has power over the dead, and going to a medium who claims to be able to communicate with people’s spirits is an attempt to take that power for ourselves instead of trusting Him. The Bible tells us to have nothing to do with those kinds of things. Instead, we need to go to Jesus when we feel sad or confused because someone we love has died.”
“But Audra and her parents aren’t Christians,” said Kinley. “They don’t know Jesus or trust in Him.”
“Yes, and for people who don’t know Jesus, death is a very scary thing,” Mom said. “But as Christians, we don’t have to be afraid of death. Jesus freed us from sin and death when he died for us and rose again. When someone we love dies, we need to remember that only He holds power over death and trust Him to comfort us and be with us in our sadness.”
“It does make me feel better to know Jalen is with Jesus now,” Daniel said. “Let’s pray that we can help Audra and her parents know that too.” – Agnes Livezey
How about you?
Has anyone ever tried to get you to do something they say will allow you to communicate with someone who’s died? Don’t believe it. Only God has power over people who have died, and He forbids trying to communicate with them. Instead, tell Jesus what you’re feeling and depend on Him to help you through your pain and sadness. He saved you by defeating death on the cross. Trust only Him.
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