Dearly Departed

Blessed be the name of the Lord now and forever.
Last night something quite extraordinary happened, at least in my mind.

For sometime now I've known that my sister's deceased husband Ben was the catalyst to my renewed walk with Christ. In fact it was his death that made it ultimately possible.

For a long time the Lord had been touching my heart through my children and their wanting me to stop the radio station in the car on various Christian songs they liked. The songs began to touch my heart and I began accumulating them on my computer to play, and soon it was all I was listening to. While this was taking place my brother in law was growing more and more ill.

As is the way of things we don't know what's going to happen or why, it's just impossible for us to predict things. We don't hold thoughts of God in our own minds. We can't figure God out, His ways are so far above our own. If anything it is more likely we'll look back and see things in the perspective that allows us to catch glimpses of God's infinitely superior ways.

For my sister Debbie the loss of her husband was most devastating, rocking the foundation she'd rested upon in her own walk with Christ. Daily prayers, numerous prayers, a life of prayer for others was thrown into confusion.

How could she feel the same towards God when He had the power to heal her husband and chose to let him die?

It's not unusual to blame God when we lose a loved one, not at all.
Logically we know that God's ways are above our own and that the evil in the world stems from Satan, but we do also know God has amazing powers and where He wills they are used. When they're not used in situations we believe they should be our faith is tested and tried, because God's ways are beyond our understanding and we want to understand.

So here my sister's whole life was going through a powerful transition and her pain, her agony, her fears were drawing people to her to help her. I was one of those people and because of her fear I (one of several who would take turns) would go over and stay with her at night. During these nights we'd talk and talk and talk and God was leading me closer and closer to Him right to the point that Debbie and I asked our other sisters and mother if they wanted to study with us.

The rest, as they say, is history. We've been getting together to worship God and study, watching current events, fellowshipping ever since.

If my sister's husband hadn't died none of that would have happened.

Well, last night as we were studying once again it came up. My sister Debbie lamenting the fact her own life was so changed from how it used to be, how she's drifted from her prayers which were at one time such an important part of her life. Tracing it all back to her anger towards God for taking her husband from her.

And then...well, the God did something shedding enlightenment upon us.

Her husband's death was necessary.

And her husband in the day of Christ's return, when He and Debbie are reunited once more will be thrilled to know that his death wasn't in vain. That through his death others were brought back to the place of salvation. What wonder, what joy to have that knowledge. We all hope to impact others so they'll find the grace and mercy of our Lord and Savior that they'll turn to Him through faith and accept His sacrifice, accept the salvation He alone provides. My brother in law Ben will have this amazing, truly amazing joy to realize what a catalyst He's been, even after death. I can imagine him smiling, imagine him with that twinkle in his eyes as he humbly acknowledges his own happiness that his death wasn't in vain but used for something so amazing.

God wasn't done with His amazing revelations to us though.

My sister Debbie mentioned the year of our conversion long ago, the beginning of our walk into the light and truth, saying when was it...1982 or 83, we discussed it a bit and decided yes 82 or 83. Then my other sister Diane mentioned the date of her own conversion as being 1985 and a chill ran down my spine. My father's death.

My father died in 1985 and as a result I moved to Texas and by God's grace that resulted in my sister Diane finding her way to the Lord. Without my father's death that wouldn't have happened.
Two men that never even met both part of our family, both in the hands of God used even in death to guide others to the Lord. Jewels for their crowns, praise the Lord.

Timothy {4:8} 'Henceforth there is
laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the
righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me
only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.'

James {1:12} 'Blessed is the man that endureth
temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown
of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him'

Rev. {2:10} '...be thou faithful unto death, and I will
give thee a crown of life.'

1 Pet. {5:4} 'And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye
shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.'

Yes, we shall receive crowns and the jewels in those crowns will be there.

How amazing to be given the revelation of the joy those truly, dearly departed, will have in the day of Christ's return as they're raised up from the grave to meet the Lord in the air.

All glory and praise unto our Lord and Savior whose wisdom far surpasses anything we can even begin to imagine.

While we might want to cling to the pain of the passing of our loved ones, we can allow ourselves the joy of their future joy as well.

By the mercy and grace of Jesus Christ.
Amen.