Events in our lives like the death of a friend or family member cause us to read God's Word with "new" eyes - seeing things that we may have overlooked before. Read Luke 16:19-17:10 and Psalm 13-18.

I read Luke 16:19-17:10 and see so many of my friends in Lazarus, people whose last months of life were filled with sickness and hospitalizations, pain and surgery, much like Lazarus. How often didn't they and their families cry out with the psalmist, "How long, O LORD?" (Psalm 13).

By faith I can see my friends with Lazarus at Abraham's side. All is well with them. As we look back at their lives, we can give thanks that "the boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance" (Psalm 16:6). The LORD had given them so many pleasant memories and wonderful experiences. Even in pain and sorrow, we have reason to rejoice.

Now our friends who have died in Christ experience "eternal pleasures" at the LORD's right hand (Psalm 16:11). I noticed that it is the same Hebrew word: “pleasant places” and “eternal pleasures.” The LORD God who gave them so many pleasant experiences here on earth is giving them so many more pleasant experiences for all eternity.

How can we be confident of this? Because Psalm 16 is fulfilled in Jesus. The Apostle Peter quoted Psalm 16 in his Acts 2 Pentecost sermon. Jesus’ body did not see decay. Jesus rose victorious from the grave. And so shall my friend’s body. And so shall mine.

As I studied that Hebrew word for “pleasant places,” I found that one of those pleasant places is when God’s people live together in unity (Psalm 133). Unity within our family of faith is a foretaste of the pleasant places we will enjoy with our Savior in heaven.

However, unity is a challenge for us here on earth. As Jesus continued his conversation with his disciples in Luke 17:1-10, he called upon his followers to forgive… and forgive… and forgive. We sin against each other. We fail to live as God’s children should and put stumbling blocks in people’s paths. No wonder the disciples prayed, “Lord, increase our faith!”

Let this be our prayer as well. Lord, increase our faith so that we have the strength to forgive over and over again. Increase our faith so that we live lives that bring you honor, so that we are not shaken and we don’t cause anyone else to stumble (Psalm 15).  Increase our confidence that we are “the apple of your eye” (Psalm 17:8), precious and safe in your hands.

When we live our lives satisfied with God’s love in Christ, we can be confident that we will be satisfied with his love for eternity.

I can just imagine my friends and family members offering up a thankful sigh as they passed out of this life and awoke to see their Savior. “When I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness” (Psalm 17:15).

My course is run. Praise God, my course is run, My Jesus welcomes me.
Farewell, my friends, my work on earth is done, The heav’nly goal I see.
My dear Redeemer’s praises voicing, I leave this world with great rejoicing.
My course is run. My course is run. (The Lutheran Hymnal 599 v. 1)