The Beautiful Sting
I have thought about heaven a lot since Micah was sick. There were moments my heart physically hurt because the longing was so great to be at the feet of Jesus and to be in a place where there was no sin, suffering or pain. Our Pastor read the first verses of Revelation 21 at the very end of his sermon many years ago, the Sunday after Micah relapsed. I will never forget sitting in my pew so overcome with emotion. I was beside myself with grief because of our pain, but there was also such hope in the gospel. The beauty of those words finally connected with me that day. A few weeks ago those verses were quoted off the pulpit again and it still fills my chest with intense longing.
I have been thinking about death more than usual since Dr Murray had an introduction to his sermon that asked the question, "Who would you die for?". He listed many people as options. I was shocked to realize that my list is short and almost non-existent. My list would be much longer if Doc would have asked the question, "Who would you suffer for?" If I know the person is a Christian, I am not sure I would die for any of them and that even includes Ken. In my estimation, they are receiving the blessing of heaven and the people who are left behind experience the pain of separation and living in a broken world.
I have watched people live their last days. Mostly from a distance by reading their writing or the writing of their family members online. I have seen many examples of people finishing well by trusting the Lord and knowing that their suffering was for His glory and that they were on their way HOME. My dad's cousin went to be with the Lord today. Through their posts on line it was so evident that he was ready to be with the Lord and had such peace. He was in his 50's with married children and a few handfuls of beautiful grandchildren. I don't know them well, but from the pictures I have seen, you can tell that they all adored him.
We have grieved and prayed for the Speelman family in the last weeks as they walked this road of 'last days'. I hurt for his wife, his parents, his children, his grandchildren and his siblings. We prayed often that he didn't suffer. I ache deeply when I think of his parents in a different way than the rest. Death is always unnatural, but it seems so much more so when a child, no matter the age, goes before his parents.
But as I have grown a little older I rejoice like I never have before for the ones who are with the Lord. I am sad for Peter's family, yet ecstatic for Peter. It's never been clearer to me how beautiful that is. I think often of Chris Vandoodewaard and Jack Westerink. They suffered so much, but just like Peter Speelman, those dear brothers are fully healed and right where they belong and are worshipping the Lord in a way that we can't even comprehend.
The Speelman family posted a song this morning by Brian Doerkson called The River. It's beautiful. They said that Peter smiled when he heard that song. What a song of grace to be in your ears and heart the day that you are brought to the feet of your Savior.
I am privileged to be here on earth and I have a purpose. It's to glorify God and to love Him forever. I thank the Lord for every new day and the gift of breath with the kids every morning. Truly every moment is given from His hand and I am not wishing these days away. But I do long for my HOME. My life here is temporary and the eternity that awaits me is breath taking.
Rev 21:1-6 (ESV)
The New Heaven and the New Earth
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment.
I have been thinking about death more than usual since Dr Murray had an introduction to his sermon that asked the question, "Who would you die for?". He listed many people as options. I was shocked to realize that my list is short and almost non-existent. My list would be much longer if Doc would have asked the question, "Who would you suffer for?" If I know the person is a Christian, I am not sure I would die for any of them and that even includes Ken. In my estimation, they are receiving the blessing of heaven and the people who are left behind experience the pain of separation and living in a broken world.
I have watched people live their last days. Mostly from a distance by reading their writing or the writing of their family members online. I have seen many examples of people finishing well by trusting the Lord and knowing that their suffering was for His glory and that they were on their way HOME. My dad's cousin went to be with the Lord today. Through their posts on line it was so evident that he was ready to be with the Lord and had such peace. He was in his 50's with married children and a few handfuls of beautiful grandchildren. I don't know them well, but from the pictures I have seen, you can tell that they all adored him.
We have grieved and prayed for the Speelman family in the last weeks as they walked this road of 'last days'. I hurt for his wife, his parents, his children, his grandchildren and his siblings. We prayed often that he didn't suffer. I ache deeply when I think of his parents in a different way than the rest. Death is always unnatural, but it seems so much more so when a child, no matter the age, goes before his parents.
But as I have grown a little older I rejoice like I never have before for the ones who are with the Lord. I am sad for Peter's family, yet ecstatic for Peter. It's never been clearer to me how beautiful that is. I think often of Chris Vandoodewaard and Jack Westerink. They suffered so much, but just like Peter Speelman, those dear brothers are fully healed and right where they belong and are worshipping the Lord in a way that we can't even comprehend.
The Speelman family posted a song this morning by Brian Doerkson called The River. It's beautiful. They said that Peter smiled when he heard that song. What a song of grace to be in your ears and heart the day that you are brought to the feet of your Savior.
I am privileged to be here on earth and I have a purpose. It's to glorify God and to love Him forever. I thank the Lord for every new day and the gift of breath with the kids every morning. Truly every moment is given from His hand and I am not wishing these days away. But I do long for my HOME. My life here is temporary and the eternity that awaits me is breath taking.
Rev 21:1-6 (ESV)
The New Heaven and the New Earth
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment.
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