LESSONS LEARNED FROM

THE DEATH OF SARAH

 

          The death of our loved ones fills our heart with deep grief. We have all lost someone we love. It might be that you have experienced the death of a spouse, parent, a sibling, close friend or even a child. There is something very tragic in seeing a parent stand beside the grave of their child. It is supposed to be the other way! We cannot change yesterday, so we must live today in spite of our losses. God spoke to Israel saying, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” (Jeremiah 29:11) Even in captivity God gave the Jews hope. In death and grief we also need hope. What can we learn from the death of Sarah?

 

          Sarah teaches us that people of faith also experience physical death. The Bible shows us that Sarah was a woman of faith. “Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.” (Hebrews 11:11) Good people suffer and die.

 

          Sarah teaches us that people of all ages die. She was 127 years old at the time of her death. “And Sarah was an hundred and seven and twenty years old: these were the years of the life of Sarah.” (Genesis 23:1) Some die very young and some are very old when death comes.

 

          Sarah teaches us that the cause of death is not really important. The cause of death is obvious in some cases. Cain murdered his brother Able. (Genesis 4:8) The cause of death is not nearly so important as the spiritual condition of the person at the time of death.

 

          Sarah teaches us that it is proper to mourn the death of our loved ones, even those who die faithful. Abraham mourned the death of his beloved Sarah. “And Sarah died in Kirjatharba; the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan: and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her.” (Genesis 23:2)

 

          “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” (Psalms 23:4) The love and mercy of God has redeemed humanity, but it is the responsibility of the individual to respond to Christ’s grace in baptism and obeying His words of truth. (Acts 2:38) We enter the heavenly rest through death. Jesus said, “If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.” (John 14:23)

 

By Charles Box, Walnut Street Church of Christ, 306 Walnut Street,

Greenville, Alabama 36037