“You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” Psalm 16:11
D’ja ever have one of those days? You know what I am talking about. A day where life comes at you at 110 mph and it is all you can do to simply hang on? It can come from any angle… body, soul or spirit… or any combination of the three. Mine came from deep within my soul. For the 2nd time this week I was notified of the passing of one of our church saints. Yep… one of those days!
First Don passed. Then yesterday, Louise. One of the toughest parts of ministry is the return visitation of Dr. Death. He is rude, ill-mannered and shows up at the most inconvenient times. He NEVER fails to capture my attention and drags me away to places I have been, but don’t particularly care for. So I knew where we were going. But the journey is never one I can get used to.
As an old man, Don fought age and Alzheimers. Louise fought pain and illness. BOTH of them did it with a courage and grace that gives me something to aim for. I’d see them walking slowly into the church, coming to worship their Savior. And I could not help hearing the voices of other folks NOT there, choosing to stay home because “it was the only day they could sleep in!” inevitably the contrast made them nobler in my eyes.
Painfully, Dr. Death never comes alone. He brings memories with him. My dad, brother, mother and friends. He reminds me that one day he won’t just come for a visit. But will take me away too. But knowing and loving THEM, It is THEN that I see him for the liar that he is!
I try to imagine what it must feel like to have been Louise, with a body so sick and in pain. And like Don, who was trapped with Alzheimers. I try to imagine what it must be like to just SUDDENLY AWAKE in Heaven and see Jesus, Glory and all the Saints. How suddenly that Joy must hit. How LARGE it must be. And how unexplainable here! But THAT is THE blessed hope of all Believers who KNOW Jesus Christ as their Savior. And it is what we all look forward to. But first, we must face Dr. Death!
Death always brings a double edged sword, with sorrow on one side and Joy on the other. Both cut deeply into our souls. Maybe that is why the mourning process takes so much time. One cannot sort all those emotions quickly. Mortals weren’t meant to have to. So, like you, I follow the Dr. where HE leads. But I remember that no matter where his stormy visit takes me, it will never ultimately overcome me. Thank you Jesus for the saints, AND for the promised joy and blessing of hanging onto You.
