In the last few days, Orlando, my hometown, has suffered through horrendous tragedy and pain. It began last Friday when a young Christian singer, Christina Grimmie, a third place winner on The Voice in 2014, was murdered after a concert. It continued early on Sunday morning when a terrorist walked into a nightclub and mercilessly slaughtered 49 innocent people and wounded 53 others. And a couple of days later, at a Disney resort, an alligator drug a two-year-old boy into the waters of a lagoon and drowned him to the horror of his parents who were helpless to save him.
The pain is palpable throughout The City Beautiful. Horrific tales of death like these should not happen—and certainly not all in one week.
How do we peek through the dark clouds that hover over our city to find hope? Where is goodness and love and God in all of this? The people of Central Florida have come together in a beautiful way, from every walk of life, to support those who are suffering, and it has been a healing balm for the jagged wounds of a city. But where do we look to find meaning and purpose?
A Story from Laurie
A few weeks ago, a dear friend at church died of cancer after an eighteen-year battle with cancer. Laurie was surrounded with people praying for her healing, and during that time her faith never wavered. Whether she was to be healed in this life or the next, God was still on the throne of Laurie’s heart. She shared this hope frequently with others who were likewise fighting cancer, bringing encouragement and comfort to many. And at her funeral, death did not have the final word. Death had lost its sting. Love and faith reigned supreme.
Throughout the time I knew Laurie, I’d been impressed with some of the devotionals she wrote and had continually encouraged her in her writing. She journaled regularly, and after her home-going her husband shared a few of her entries with me. As I thought of all that had happened here in Orlando over the past few days, one of her writings came to mind as a way that Laurie, although no longer present with us here, could reach out to those in their grief to offer comfort.
Because that’s what Laurie would have wanted to do—to offer comfort—just as she did so often for those who battled cancer during her eighteen-year battle.
And so I share her story here.
Comfort from an Empty Tomb by Laurie Travers
“Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb . . .” John 20:1
Almost thirty one years ago, on a sultry July morning, I followed Mary’s footsteps. . . .
My father had died suddenly two nights before of cardiac arrest—one week after his open heart surgery. I awoke on the morning of the funeral, feeling overwhelmed with grief. The pain of losing him seemed more than I could bear. I hurt physically.
It seemed there was no one in those early morning hours that could understand or comfort me. All I could think about was how I wanted to be near my Dad. With that thought, I dressed quickly, quietly snuck out of the house, and drove to the funeral home.
I was thankful no one was around so that I could just sit next to his closed casket and cry. There was something about being there that eased my pain a bit. But the reality of my being there alone, next to the casket of my father, also caused me to cry out to the Lord, who faithfully met me there in a way I shall never forget.
My Bible lay in my lap. Crying out for comfort, I opened it. In that precise moment, the Great Comforter caused my eyes to fall on these words from Luke 24:5:
“Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here. He has risen.”
My eyes welled up with so many tears that I could no longer see any other words on the page. I was overcome by the grace and love of a God who cared enough to meet my deepest need so wondrously. I realized there was no need to remain at an empty tomb. My heart was too filled with an indescribable joy that gently placed my deep hurt into the eternal perspective of Almighty God.
A Message of Comfort for This Time of Sorrow
In the next few weeks, many funerals will be held in this town; many tears will be shed. The senseless death of so many innocent young people has brought unbearable grief; many hearts are shattered in pain.
But over two thousand years ago, death was defeated by a man who shed the bonds of death, abandoned his tomb, and emerged a Victor. His name is Jesus, and His love and grace is there for all of us.
In Laurie’s original journal entry, she ended with, “As we reach out to others in their pain, may we pray that the God of ALL comfort would meet them where they are with the hope and encouragement of His empty tomb.”
God has words of encouragement for each hurting soul during this time. If we look to Him and cry out to Him, He will bring us words of comfort as He did to Laurie. He wants to meet our deepest need, and He will when we cry out to Him.
The message of the empty tomb is there for all of us.
Linda, this writing, both yours and Laurie’s conveys the message all who grieve should hear. Seeking God is the only answer that will satisfy. Thank you for sharing and identifying the priority that is above all. Jesus loves and heals. He forgives and saves.
Thanks for you comment, Judy. Jesus is the one who brings healing. Such a comfort when we grieve.