A Time to Mourn and a Time to Dance

He will wipe every tear from their eyes.  There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.- Revelation 21:1-4

During our trip to New Orleans for the National Youth Gathering we took a number of tours of the city.  One of our guides shared with us their unique style of conducting funerals known as a Jazz funeral.  The first part of a Jazz funeral is slightly eccentric but familiar.  Mourners march from the church or home to the grave site while a band plays an appropriately somber dirge.

Once the dead has been buried the atmosphere does a complete 180 during the second part known as the Second Line.  The solemn music is replaced by loud, upbeat, raucous music as participants dance to a gathering place, joyfully celebrating the life of their loved one bringing to life the classic verse from Ecclesiastes “there is a time to mourn, and a time to dance.”

Mourning the loss of family and friends is to be expected.  What I love about the Jazz Funeral is that while they take the time to mourn they also provide a great opportunity during the Second Line to revel and take heart in the message Jesus shares in the gospel of Matthew, “Blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted.”  And Jesus loves to comfort you…He has conquered death on the cross, He forgives His children for their sins.   And how great is it that even in the midst of the suffering of this world we know that the Second Line is coming when there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, but only joy and dancing with our fellow believers and Jesus for eternity!

Prayer: Jesus help us in our times of mourning and wipe away our tears.  Today I thank you for the comfort of your forgiveness and love, and rejoice that I get to spend eternity with you and my family of believers.