Touré Roberts - Don't Curse The Grave

The thought for today that we’re going to discuss is «Don’t curse the grave. Don’t curse the grave.» Let’s pray. Father, thank you so much for your word; it is a lamp unto our feet, and it is a light unto our path. Lord, I know this message is from you, and I know, God, it’s the truth that’s going to liberate your sons and daughters. It is going to prepare them. Lord, this whole thing is about preparation; this entire wilderness season was about preparation. I believe that this dark, challenging season we have gone through in our country and world, Lord God, was also about preparation. So, God, give me wisdom, revelation, and insight; let me flow in the beauty of your Spirit in such a way that it will literally be a spiritual hug to everybody who’s listening, to everybody who’s watching, that they would understand that they’re not orphans, that they’re not alone, but there is a God who sits high and looks low, who walks with us, who encourages, lifts up, edifies, and even prepares us for the things that are to come. We thank you and we praise you in Jesus' name. Amen.

Family, the reason why I chose this text is that I think there is a similarity between the season that the children of Israel are in within this text and where we currently are in our world. The children of Israel were leaving a very dark and challenging season; it was difficult, but God sustained them, as we talked about in the text. I believe that we, as well as during this pandemic, are witnessing the infections decline and stabilize. Now, there are multiple vaccines, and those who are going down that road are getting vaccinated. Things are beginning to open up a bit, and there is happiness, thank God, and there is optimism, and all those sorts of things. However, I feel a burden, an unction, to talk to you similarly to the way that God is speaking to the children of Israel as they prepare to step into and watch this: as they are getting ready to walk into their reopening.

I think it’s ironic that this season, particularly in America—I know you’re watching from all over the world—coincides with this Easter or Resurrection season, during which we celebrate the opening of the tomb and Jesus emerging victorious from the grave. Here we are, celebrating the reopening of the world as we once knew it. I want to share something that struck my heart profoundly during a conversation with one of my sons over dinner. He was understandably frustrated because of the pandemic. He’s young, just 18; he wants to get out, live his life, see his friends, drive, and probably party a little. He expressed his frustration, saying, «I hate this pandemic.» I replied, «Yeah, there are a lot of things about this pandemic that I hate too; I get it.»

But in that moment, I considered something I had never thought of before. As he was cursing the pandemic, I realized, «You know what? You were probably protected a little bit by this pandemic.» I know all my kids; I have wonderful children, and I’m proud of each and every one of them. But I also remember what it was like to be 18 because I was 18 too. They are actually doing a lot better than I was at that age. Come on, somebody! I was a freshman in college, living on campus. There was this thing called jungle juice that we used to drink; I’m not going to tell you what was in it. It was a little more than punch, a little more than Kool-Aid; we got drunk off jungle juice and lived like animals in a jungle.

So, I get it; they are doing so much better than I did. Yet, there was a part of me that began to think: while acknowledging all the death and devastation, there was a degree to which I must recognize that possibly, there was an element of protection in this pandemic. It made me reflect: yes, this was a painful season, yes, it was a dark season, a devastating season, but we must also acknowledge that there was some protection during this time. It’s probably too early to gather statistics, but crime had to go down because there weren’t many people out to get robbed. You understand what I’m saying?

There are certain things we aren’t even considering, but being restricted to a closed space—much like a grave—meant that we could not move as freely. In the midst of the discomfort and awkwardness, and in some cases, quite frankly, devastation, we cannot overlook the fact that there was some protection too. Not only was there protection, but there was also some pruning.