Abraham buries his wife

"Abraham came to mourn for Sarah and to mourn her. And Abraham arose from his death ; And he spake unto the children of Heth, saying : I am a stranger, dwelling among you ; give me possession of a sepulcher among you, and I will bury my dead from before me." Genesis 23. 2-4

The verse of the day concerning Abraham, a man of faith and "father of all who believe" (Rom 4:11), evokes what one can feel about the loss of a loved one.

The account of this mourning really shows two times in the behavior of the patriarch.

Abraham first saw a time of great sadness, he appears helpless. It's really time to mourn and cry. The text is sober, but leaves a proper place for feelings and emotions that have certainly overwhelmed the patriarch. Indeed, our faith does not spare us those moments where "why" invade our mind, especially in the event of dramatic circumstances. We feel helpless, we ask many questions, but they remain unanswered. These "why" are the imprint of our humanity and our finitude. We do not have to feel guilty for such thoughts. But as believers, we are not "afflicted like others who have no hope" (1 Thes, 4, 13).

Another time follows, when Abraham recovers: he rises from the body of Sarah (Gen. 23, 3). He then manifests his faith in God's promise of the promised land. He buys a cave to bury his wife. It was showing that he had no doubt about the divine promise. Life goes on and helps it to progress, but it knows that the ultimate and permanent home of the believer is not in this world. He is waiting for the "city which has the foundations, of which God is the architect and the builder" (Heb.11: 10).

For us, the Bible does not provide details about this beyond, but it assures us of a presence : "asleep by Jesus ... we will always be with the Lord" (1 Thes, 4, 14, 17). The apostle concludes with this exhortation : "Therefore comfort one another with these words" (v. 18). This is the Christian hope that helps us overcome this time of necessary mourning. It is up to us to cultivate it in our thoughts by the Word of God so that by "patience and the consolation of the Scriptures we may have hope" (Rom 15: 4).

Source (Pleasing the Lord)