Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” - John 8:51 (ESV)
Those of you who read my weekend blog know that I devote it to my Christian faith. During the week I write about many things such as nature and animals, politics, general current events and whatever else might come to mind that seems appropriate for the day. But the weekends are for my faith and this week it involves a person who recently passed away quickly. She was a member of our adult Sunday school class and while I didn't know her well, she was always attentive and at the end of the lesson she always thanked me for leading the class.
Late in the fall she was missing from class but we all figured that she had gone to visit family and friends up north. She routinely did that, loving the mountains where she grew up. But then we learned recently that she was still here but suffering from a yet to be diagnosed ailment causing very low energy. The doctors found one problem that was correctable but then, once all blood work was completed, the results led to the the finding of a large malignant tumor. Positive results from surgery were iffy at best and she didn't want to face the agony of side effects from radiation and/or chemotherapy. She just asked to be allowed to live out what was left of her life without pain. Accordingly, she was moved to a local hospice for final life care. Earthly death came within a few days.
I am sure that all of her family and friends are grieving right now and we in her Sunday school class, who expected her to return, will miss her. She wasn't a movie star or someone famous by the world's standards, but just a nice, refined Christian lady who wished no one harm. And the whole world should certainly miss anyone like that. But I'm sure she is now in the loving arms of her Savior where she can rest and enjoy eternity free of any more pain or suffering. It's a goal each of us should seek as well.
None of us know when our time on this earth is up. It could end as the culmination of a long term illness or one that was late in diagnosis. Or it could be from a traffic accident or from a fall or even a great storm. But what we should all know is that if we have faith in our God and Savior and truly believe He is who He says He is, we will have continued life when our earthly life is done. And that's something worth living in the manner He desires from us. That is Eternal Life.
Dear Lord, We thank you for the life of our dear, departed believer and ask that you be with her family and close friends in their time of sorrow. And we also thank you for bringing her into our lives, for each us has so much to learn from one another when we are all filled with the Holy Spirit. Keep us strong, vigilant and ever focused on the mission you have for each of us so that when our days are up here on earth, we will also live forever with you. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Those of you who read my weekend blog know that I devote it to my Christian faith. During the week I write about many things such as nature and animals, politics, general current events and whatever else might come to mind that seems appropriate for the day. But the weekends are for my faith and this week it involves a person who recently passed away quickly. She was a member of our adult Sunday school class and while I didn't know her well, she was always attentive and at the end of the lesson she always thanked me for leading the class.
Late in the fall she was missing from class but we all figured that she had gone to visit family and friends up north. She routinely did that, loving the mountains where she grew up. But then we learned recently that she was still here but suffering from a yet to be diagnosed ailment causing very low energy. The doctors found one problem that was correctable but then, once all blood work was completed, the results led to the the finding of a large malignant tumor. Positive results from surgery were iffy at best and she didn't want to face the agony of side effects from radiation and/or chemotherapy. She just asked to be allowed to live out what was left of her life without pain. Accordingly, she was moved to a local hospice for final life care. Earthly death came within a few days.
I am sure that all of her family and friends are grieving right now and we in her Sunday school class, who expected her to return, will miss her. She wasn't a movie star or someone famous by the world's standards, but just a nice, refined Christian lady who wished no one harm. And the whole world should certainly miss anyone like that. But I'm sure she is now in the loving arms of her Savior where she can rest and enjoy eternity free of any more pain or suffering. It's a goal each of us should seek as well.
None of us know when our time on this earth is up. It could end as the culmination of a long term illness or one that was late in diagnosis. Or it could be from a traffic accident or from a fall or even a great storm. But what we should all know is that if we have faith in our God and Savior and truly believe He is who He says He is, we will have continued life when our earthly life is done. And that's something worth living in the manner He desires from us. That is Eternal Life.
Dear Lord, We thank you for the life of our dear, departed believer and ask that you be with her family and close friends in their time of sorrow. And we also thank you for bringing her into our lives, for each us has so much to learn from one another when we are all filled with the Holy Spirit. Keep us strong, vigilant and ever focused on the mission you have for each of us so that when our days are up here on earth, we will also live forever with you. In Jesus' name, Amen.
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