We went to seminary together and stayed at the same
house for the overnight times. He was
the youth pastor at the church my wife attended. And that is kind of how we met. If I hadn’t asked him to bring his group to
be counselors for our church’s children’s camp, well. . .
Now I know death happens. I have
experienced it painful finality several times in my life, a wife, a dad, a mom,
a member of our youth group, but still the news always hits you hard. Not as hard at his immediate family,
though. I cannot begin to understand the
sorrow that they are experiencing, a mere sixty minutes later.
He certainly wasn’t old; in fact he was the same age
as me. At a time when he should be still
serving in a church, going on dates with his wife, spending time with his kids
and grandkids, his life was slowing dripping from him like a paper cup with a
hole in the bottom. Seems so sad, so
senseless. Too soon.
Unless you knew him.
And unless you knew his God. My
friend loves Jesus. Yes, loves. In the present tense. Just because he has “left” this earth, doesn’t
mean he’s gone. He is just continuing on
with his relationship with the God of the Universe. Just, as his son wrote, at a new address. However, we look at it, he finished the
race. He did what he was called by God
to do. Be a witness for Him.
Though we will never, on this side of heaven,
understand the Lord’s perfect will and timing, we rest, we trust in the fact
that it is so. God has the things of our
temporal and natural world, in His complete and capable hands.
Jesus said, “I
am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he
dies, and everyone who lives
and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”
I
believe. My friend believes.
So, my friend, welcome home.
No comments:
Post a Comment