The Frog Who Went to Be with Jesus
Little Gwen loves animals and somewhere she acquired a tiny frog. I guess she did not know that frogs were a plague, but that would not matter to a four-year-old girl. Even if it is a frog, it is still a pet. Little frogs in the possession of little girls do not have a long life span. Before long the frog died and her dad disposed of it. Her mother explained it to her by saying that the frog went to be with Jesus. Gwen cried and said, “I want Jesus to give me my frog back.”
We all understand that sentiment, not about a frog, but about someone we love who has gone to be with Jesus. When my Granddad died, I felt like crying that I wanted Jesus to give him back. I think of my mother often. My Aunt Maxine went to be with Jesus before I was old enough to go to school. I want to meet her again and get to know her better. We all have someone that makes us feel this way.
In the early church, these kinds of thoughts were hurting many at Thessalonica. They grieved for those who had died, or as Paul said, have “fallen asleep.” To encourage them he wrote, “Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.” (1 Thess 4:13-14).
When frogs are gone, they are gone. When Christians “fall asleep” they will wake up. We are not really dead; we have simply gone to be with Jesus. Do not grieve like others who have no hope.
Little Gwen called me last week and told me she had a new pet. It is a lady bug and it is living in a Tic Tac candy box. When it goes to be with Jesus we may have to have a full funeral service.
Lonnie Davis