On January 16, 2022, my mother Linda Ruth's soul passed from earth to heaven when her tired old cancer ridden body gave out. It wasn't the easy death that some get, but rather one filled with persistent pain for over a year. We tried to stay on top of it with meds as the disease took over, and yet it kept its evil claws in her for much of the time. Though her faith seldom wavered, I know she prayed to the Lord asking why she had to suffer so on her way to Him.
Because I believe that life is intentional, that God uses all sorts of things in our lives we may never fully realize to draw us to Him, this week's anniversary of my mother's death found me studying John 11 when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. I dove deep into one of my favorite commentaries, leaning into God's reminder that death of this humanly body He gives us to use for a little while is inevitable. From the minute we are born, we are headed towards death. And with death comes the pain of loss for those left behind. Grief is the price we pay for love here in this temporal world. Yet God, y'all.
This chapter has served as a timely reminder of God's love, will and plan for all our lives. That even though our time on earth has an ending, we have eternity set in our hearts (Eccl 3:11) so that we can look forward to that while serving our Creator's purposes here on earth. Praise God that we can find peace and comfort in His promise that one day we will be awakened to rise up and meet our Savior in a new imperishable body (1 Cor 15:52-54). Death is the consequence of sin in our world, but I rest in hope while contemplating the upcoming verse we'll be studying in John 16:33. "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." Thank you, Jesus, that it is not death to die for those who trust in you!
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