“I know he will rise again in the resurrection.” (John 11:24)
Expanded Passage: John 11:17-27
Van and her family lived in a house built on stilts over the Mekong River. For over twenty years, Van and her neighbors threw their garbage and waste into the river, causing that section of the river to become clogged and devoid of any fish life. It wasn’t that they preferred to do this. They were forced to, since there was no garbage pick-up in the part of the city where they lived. One man living in this area stated, “Poverty causes us to live in horrific conditions.”
The garbage pile had become so high that one could not see the river water anymore. One day Van’s small child fell into this thick soup of waste and drowned. She grieved for months over the loss of her son. Sometime later a pastor came to visit her. “Van, what I share with you will not be able to take away all the sorrow you are feeling, but it may help you to know that a few weeks ago your son gave his heart to Jesus Christ. Since he was a Christian, we are promised that he will rise again.” His words did help, and soon afterward, Van also gave her heart to Christ. She would then often say, “I look forward to seeing my son again in heaven.”
Allow the hope of the resurrection to sustain you in your loss.
Jim “Umfundisi” Lo is an ordained elder in The Wesleyan Church, serving in prayer ministries, as well as Global Partners. He previously served as a pastor, missionary, and campus intercessor for Indiana Wesleyan University. He and his wife, Roxene, have two sons and two granddaughters.
© 2025 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
