Ezekiel 44:25
“And they shall come at no dead person to defile themselves: but for father, or for mother, or for son, or for daughter, for brother, or for sister that hath had no husband, they may defile themselves.
If you have ever lost a family member to death, you know that it is not an easy thing with which to deal. Death is one of those things that most don’t like to talk about, and it never prepares one for when it comes. Thankfully, God does give us advice on dealing with a loved one’s death.
In the verse above, God gives the requirements of how a Levite and priest were to handle the loss of an immediate family member. The priest and Levites were different from the rest of Israel because they were God’s representatives. How God prescribed for them to deal with the death of a loved one is exactly how you should deal with it when it comes your way. You may not need this devotional now, but you are going to need it at some point in your life. I would advise you to set this devotional aside for that day when you lose a loved one to death. Let me show you what God teaches how to deal with a loved one’s death.
First, build a good relationship before they die. You will notice that the priest and Levite could only take care of the dead if they were an immediate family member. I believe God is teaching the importance of building relationships while one is alive. You never know when your loved one will pass away, so while you have them you need to build a good relationship so that you have no regrets when God takes them.
Second, when a loved one passes away, be sure to take time and mourn. Oftentimes one will think they need to be strong for the rest of the family, but it is important to have time to mourn. That is a normal process. You will hurt yourself if you don’t take time to mourn. You will never be able to take the next step if you don’t mourn.
Third, be sure to move on. God gave them seven days to mourn, and then He told them to move on. Moving on is not forgetting them, but it is telling yourself that you must move on in life. If your loved one is saved, they are in a much better place and they would want you to live life to its fullest. You don’t need to feel guilty about moving on because it is a normal part of life.
Fourth, keep your walk with God during your time of loss. God told the priest and Levite to get back to the sanctuary after the seven days. Let me encourage you not to let grief take away your personal time with God. You need that time in the Scriptures and prayer. You will find that it will be a very special time if you will keep it. Furthermore, don’t miss church during this time. It may not be easy, but you need to be around your church family. They will be an encouragement to you, and the singing and preaching will help you go through that time.
Fifth, don’t let grieving be an excuse to sin. You will notice that God told them to offer a sin offering when they got back in the sanctuary. I know this sounds strange, but the Devil knows you are vulnerable when you lose a loved one, and he will throw temptations at you that you never thought you would consider. Be very careful that you don’t let your grief be an excuse to sin. Do right!
Friend, losing a loved one is not an easy thing to think about, but it will happen. God knew that you would have to deal with it at some point, and His advice to the priest and Levites is great advice for when you lose your loved one. Let God’s advice help you to properly deal with this loss.