Love is Stronger than Death.
In moments like this, it feels like death has won. But the bible says that love is stronger than death. Your hearts are heavy, and tears flow down. Your spirits are wounded. I feel that too. You look around, and everybody you love and can count on and trust seems to be slipping through your fingers. And it feels as though death has won. In the first family, when Cain killed Abel, it seemed like death had won. Noah escaped the flood. Still, he died. It looked like death had won. Isaiah was an eagle-eye prophet; he could see thousands of miles and years away. Still, he died. It looked like death had won. Habakkuk had come as a prophet to Israel, spoke truth so powerful and so profound, but no matter how close he was to God, he still died. It looked like death had won.
We've seen scientists and astronauts and politicians and great thinkers of the ages, and no matter how profound and prolific or bright they were, they still died. It looked like death had won. But the bible kept saying that love is stronger than death. And like two gladiators in a fight. Every time they (death and love) enter into the ring, it looks like death has won. I know to some of you today, it looks like death has won. But I rose to tell you that 2,000 years ago. Love rolled into the ring and said wait a minute, death. You've been bullying people for a long time. But I want to set the record straight. Love is greater than death. Rolled up his sleeves, and they fought all over Jerusalem and wrestled all through the cross, and the fight went down to the grave, and death said, see, I did to you just like I did all the rest of them. Death started having a party on Friday night. It was one of those weekend parties. Lasted all the way through Friday night, and all Saturday, it looked like death had won. But early Sunday morning, love rolled up his sleeves and said wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute. Love snatched death and took the sting out of death and the victory out of the grave.
And I want you to understand I'm not going to preach, I'm not going to start, but I feel it. I want you to understand in a very practical and pragmatic way that death has not won. Your tears may flow. Your pain may come. The flowers will wither. The cards will all be filed away. The phone will stop ringing. Mama said they're going to stop ringing after a while. Cakes and pies all stop coming. Don't you dare think that death has won. You will learn what all of us know who have lost people that we love. You'll be driving down the street one day, and you'll hear her voice talking in your head. Something she said or something she did will pop up in your spirit, and you'll giggle inside of yourself as if she were sitting in the car with you. And you will find that people that you really love, they may leave you outwardly, but they never leave you inwardly.
May the love of God, the peace of the Holy Spirit, and the sweet communion of knowing that you are a child of the king keep you through this period in life when it might appear as if death has won, but it's alive. Love will last forever, for God is love.
Excerpt from PoP's (Bishop TD Jakes) remarks at Whitney Houston Burial.
Posted on Facebook on September 29, 2022.
