By: Steven Johnson, DDS | December 14, 2024
To many people, Thanksgiving and Christmas are a wonderful time of the year; however, to some, including me, this year is challenging. I lost my wife, Michelle, to cancer two weeks ago. She was the Executive Vice President and Executive Editor for Bellator Christi. You may have lost a spouse, grandparent, parent, child, or friend to cancer, stroke, other illness, or accident this past year. Whatever it was, it still is a loss to you.
Reasons to be Thankful
However, there are reasons to be thankful. We serve a Risen Savior. If the one who died is a believer, they are now with Him, which is wonderful beyond our comprehension. Walking down streets of gold (Rev. 21), sitting at His feet (Eph. 2:4-10), praising Him (Rev. 19), and serving Him (Rev. 22:3), among other things they will be doing in heaven.
Our loved ones in Christ will have a new body. These bodies will be eternal (never age, die, or become weak), free from pain, free from suffering, free from imperfection, and most importantly Christ-like. Even though she never complained, Michelle had so much pain the last few weeks. But now, she is pain-free and better than wholly healed. She has a new body. If your loved one or friend knows Christ as their personal Savior, they have that, too (2 Cor. 5:1-10).
My prayer is that you know Him as Michelle did. The Bible says that without Christ, a person will spend an eternity in Hell, which is unimaginably worse than anything experienced in this life (Matt. 8:12; 5:41; Lk. 15:22–31; 2 Thess. 1:9). God never wants anyone to perish. That is why He sent His Son to die on the cross for our sins (John 3:16). If we know Him as our personal Savior, we will see them someday and all His glory together.
The November 25, 2024 edition of Our Daily Bread, by Nancy Gavilanes said, “Whatever our trial, we can take comfort knowing that God is near to our broken hearts (Psalm 34:18). The more time we spend with God in prayer and reading the Bible, the more we’ll be able to “enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise” and “give thanks to him and praise his name (Psalm 100:4). We can “shout for joy to the Lord (Psalm 100:1) even and perhaps, especially when we’re in a difficult season because our God is faithful.”[1]
Hope Found in Christ
The world has no hope because they do not know Him. We feel hope, peace, and love when we know Him, and He helps us through difficult times. I am not saying the loss of a loved one is easy; I have shed many tears, wanted to ask or tell Michelle things, and I want to hold her tight. But I know where she is and can praise God because I know she is home with her Lord and Savior. And I know that I will see her again someday.
If you do not know Christ as your Lord and Savior and would like to know Him, I, or a member of Bellator Christi, would like to share the good news with you.
About the Author
Steven Johnson, DDS
Dr. Steven Johnson served 36 years as a dentist in his hometown of Buffalo Center, Iowa before retiring from his practice. He is a graduate of the University of Iowa Dental School in 1987. He currently resides in Mankato, Minnesota. Dr. Johnson is a devout disciple of Christ. He faithfully attends Wooddale Church of Eden Prairie, Minnesota. Steven was the husband of our late beloved Dr. Michelle Johnson
Dr. Johnson’s desire is to continue to honor Michelle with the passion she held so dear–writing articles that glorify God. He hopes to offer believers further reasons to trust in the risen Savior and desires to share the gospel with the lost, prompting them to accept Christ as their Savior.
[1] Nancy Gavilanes, “Being Faithful Despite Trials,” Our Daily Bread (November 25, 2024), https://www.odbm.org/devotionals/devotional-category/being-thankful-despite-trials.
