Friday after the Fifth Sunday after Easter, 5/25/01Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment. --KJV In the name of the One Whom we face in judgment, amen.
“What’s done is done,” you might say when it comes to the temptation to pray for someone who has died. Yesterday we saw that we should pray for everyone. Today we see that we should only pray for them when they are alive. Once they are dead, there is no chance to change anything. They will receive the gracious reward of faith, or the just punishment that comes to those who do not have faith.
What is the lesson we learn from this? Pray for your loved ones now while they still have breath in their bodies. Pray earnestly for them, and trust the Holy Spirit to work on bringing them to faith. We have a gracious God Who wants everyone to be saved. Amen.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, You gave Your only begotten Son to die for us so that we could be Your children. Hear our prayers and remember our loved ones in Your great mercy. Bring to repentance our loved ones who do not have faith. Grant them faith unto eternal life so that they may praise and glorify Your holy name forever, amen.
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