From March 17, 2013
I hardly know what to say today. But I do know that I have work to do, that the show must go on: and that God, who has given me strength before when I really needed it, must be my strength in all things. We are weak, but He is strong.
I do wish we could have given my mother a bigger sendoff. But as she said herself, not long ago, “I’m at an age (90) when most of the people who would come to my funeral have already had their own.”
Last night the high-school kid next door had an an all-night party (starting in the afternoon): life goes on. All around us, life goes on. Death is an offense, an aberration, the product of Adam’s disobedience. Christ Our Lord has defeated death; God the Father will abolish it.
I just wish I understood why it’s taking Him so long. But then who am I to understand God? As the old hymn has it, “Trust and obey…”
Dear Lee, He’s taking so long because of the highschool kid next door. He will indeed be your strength. Blessings to your family, Mrs. Tucker
_____
I hadn’t thought of that.
A lot to relate to in that post. I’m not nearly as old as Lee’s mom was when she passed, but I’ve already outlived many of my friends and family members. Sadly, the trend continues, and I’m starting to understand what Dorian Gray had to deal with.
As to the delay (from our perspective) of Christ’s return; the only conclusion I can offer is that there is more than meets the eye, and while we see the human/earthly side of things, there are vast numbers of sentient creatures in the spirit realm who witness not only earthly events, but also power struggles caused by disobedience and unfaithfulness to Go in the spirit realm. As frustrating as this is from the human perspective, with our limited lifespans, matters have to play out fully before justice can be fully served and a solution can be implemented.
Romans 8:18 “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.”
As cliched as this may sound, I am fully convinced that our current experiences will seem minuscule in comparison to what life will offer when we are able to experience life in a world that is truly blessed.
A minister that I used to listen to on the radio used the analogy of “looking at the wrong side of the embroidery” and that when the piece is turned right-side all will become clear and the patterns understood.
That’s an interesting illustration. What we are living is definitely real, but the big picture is that God never planned His creation to be in a fallen state, and we are not seeing what He intended. Life can still be good; we enjoy good companionship and fellowship, we enjoy good food, and even just being indoors, safe and warm on a winter’s day feels good to us, but this pales in comparison with what God intends. It’s hard to keep this in mind, but it is real.
We really can’t imagine what it will be like.
I’m certain that you are 100% right about that. I know what my idea of the ultimate life is, but that is based upon experiences gained in a fallen world. I know that I crave wide open spaces and and would like to live closer to the land, have animals around and live a life where I can use my skills effectively, but all of that is based upon what I have seen living in a fallen world.
Most people are delighted when an animal is friendly, and interacts with them, to some degree. Imagine what life will be like when all animals are friendly and docile. Imagine the life of a skilled person when they are able to provide for themselves and their family using their God given talents, without the domination many workers experience in our day.
Paradise, indeed.