This past Sunday we sang “In Christ Alone” as we took communion. It was beautiful.
We filed up to the front, taking first the bread, then the wine, as we sang.
“Till on that cross as Jesus died, the wrath of God was satisfied; for every sin on Him was laid, here in the death of Christ I live.”
We went back to our seats and waited for the others as we continued to sing.
“There in the ground His body lay, light of the world by darkness slain.”
The volume rose as we sang,
“Then bursting forth in glorious day, up from the grave He rose again!”
I looked down into the cup,
“And as He stands in victory, sin’s curse has lost its grip on me, for I am His and He is mine, bought with the precious blood of Christ.”
I’m His. He bought me. With His blood. Sin does not hold me captive any longer.
“No guilt in life, no fear in death, this is the power of Christ in me.”
I’m free. No guilt. The price has been paid. My God is satisfied. He looks at me and sees His Son.
“From life’s first cry to final breath, Jesus commands my destiny. No pow’r of hell, no scheme of man, can ever pluck me from His hand, till He returns or calls me home, here in the pow’r of Christ I’ll stand.”
We shared this meal together — the bread, the wine.
And we shared our grief together. We wept with brothers and sisters far away in Canada . Their precious son, their brother, had just spent a week at camp with us. Now, just a day before his 20th birthday, Jesus had suddenly called him home.
We groaned under this great loss. We stood, broken and humbled before the throne of our all-wise and loving Father, and pleaded for the strength and comfort that only He can give.
We do not, however, “grieve as others do who have no hope”.
Christ stands in victory.
Nothing can pluck us from His hand.
“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
The bread. The wine. We remember the body and blood of God’s Son, given for us, buying us, making us His forever.
“Oh death, where is your victory?
Oh death, where is your sting?”
Here in the power of Christ we’ll stand.
Obituary for Judah David Soles, son of Jamie and Valerie Soles