Psalm 4:1 “Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have relieved me in my distress; Have mercy on me, and hear my prayer.”
If you consider how many different challenges that life brings and stacked them on top of one another, the mountain of trouble would cause fear in the strongest of us.
From financial insecurity to health issues, life brings no lack of challenges. As people grow older and often wiser, the body breaks down and physical limitation is a much greater reality. When life ends, it seems to come far too quickly and the summation of all our deeds begins to define who we were and what we valued.
Life can seem very insecure. Trouble can appear out of nowhere, and when it seems one challenge has been conquered, another comes in right behind it. With so much to overcome, it’s no wonder so many despair of life and become hopeless in their outlook.
Psalm 39:6-7 “Surely a man goes about as a shadow!
Surely for nothing they are in turmoil;
man heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather! “
And now, O Lord, for what do I wait?
My hope is in you.
For those who have placed their trust in Jesus, the journey takes a different path. It’s not that believers don’t find trouble in life, it could be argued that whether someone believes or not, there is no difference in the challenges people face.
The greatest difference I’ve encountered between the life of a believer who has placed their hope in Christ and the one whose hope is only in themselves and this world is the foundation of their strength.
2 Timothy 2:19 Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His;” and, “Everyone who names the name of the Lord is to keep away from wickedness.”
Security in Christ
I knew a man who was like a father to me…he died recently and I am still in mourning over the loss. He exemplified strength in the midst of suffering. I am astounded by the magnitude of people this man touched in life. It didn’t matter if others were on a different political spectrum, or if they didn’t reciprocate love, this man exemplified grace and mercy. He was beyond generous, to the point where people might be critical. He loved unconditionally and his family was drawn together in one accord because of the faithfulness of this man.
Heaven has gained and the earth is at a loss because he has gone on to be with his Lord and Savior. Jesus was his all in all and it showed in the way he lived his life. Fatih like a mountain, long-suffering, gentle, peaceful, kind, with a joy that pressed through his physical pains and needs…for those who knew him, the magnitude of this man was the embodiment of meekness.
What is it that sets apart a man like him?
He consistently exemplified a life of christian character and found a way to make everyone around him feel loved and appreciated. If we could all learn from people like him, what a better world this place would be.
Today that beloved man can truly echo the words of David….
Psalm 16:5-6 “The LORD is the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You support my lot. The measuring lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; Indeed, my inheritance is beautiful to me.”
For those who are found faithful, they will inherit a reward prepared for them in Heaven. The joy of meeting again with those who have gone before will bring a reunion of great joy. But much greater than these is to see and know their Savior face to face and to fall at His feet in worship.
It is a position of security, a safety net for those who endure the trials of this life, whether in weakness or strength, they hope for a life that is to come. When that day finally arrives, what lies behind is a heritage of faithfulness.
Carry On
It is not an easy thing to lose someone you love. It is even more difficult when that person has impacted your life deeply. You’ve shared a common bond of love, you’ve invested into each other’s life and you are connected in a way that only the Lord can bind together.
How do the living continue on?
What greater way to honor the memory of a precious saint than to strive to exemplify the same attributes of godliness.
Hebrews 13:7-8 “Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their way of life, imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, and forever.”
Loved ones pass away and time seems to stop for just a moment, but then we are reminded this is not our home. The body that once represented a great man of God, is now just a shell of who they used to be, their spirit has ascended into the presence of the Lord where there is great rejoicing.
All pain and suffering has ended, all striving ceases, and fear dissipates like the wind. The brush of death is the graduation of the righteous, elevated into a position of completion.
Psalm 16:7-9 “I will bless the LORD who has advised me; Indeed, my mind instructs me in the night. I have set the LORD continually before me; Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will dwell securely.”
The Peace of God
Death has lost its sting for the one who has made Jesus their Lord and King. Living for Jesus is to forsake all else and to trust Him for life. Roger knew the richness of trusting in the Lord because Jesus cared for him, watched over him, and comforted him as his life began to ebb away.
There is a peace that rests upon the righteous that cannot be neglected. Though trouble is looming and the body failing, the abiding love of God has become so entrenched within the heart, all else just seems to fade.
How can we learn from moments like these?
Psalm 39:4 “O LORD, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am! Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths, and my lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath! Selah
Life ends much sooner than we realize. What seemed like an eternity in the making was only a day in its completion. We have a time that is separated only by a dash and then the summation of life is presented. The Creator examines that life and brings judgement upon it, deeming that which was good and that which was evil.
There is no good in mankind, for goodness to come from corruption it must be introduced from a good source. For mankind to carry forth anything of worth, the Lord must have been present and working in that life.
It is the work of the Lord, moving in the heart of the faithful that leaves a legacy of faith for others to admire. It is obedience to God’s word and a willingness to abide in Christ that bears fruit and riches in Heaven.
I will greatly miss my beloved father-in-law, but only for a time. His family is full of the faith that he exemplified, I am one of them and we will be reunited together again.
Our Hope
Isaiah 42:5-6 “Thus says God, the LORD, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it: “I am the LORD; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations”
Jesus is the only One deserving of all glory. It is His presence in a family of believers that binds them together and it is His love they share.
What a day that will be, when all families of the Lord will be gathered together and worship Him. He has secured them in Christ, they will never be moved.
They will sing His praises forevermore, because He has made them glad.
U.T. 