Sometimes the best thing to comfort me on earth is the reminder that this is not my home. This past Sunday in church the choir special was about Heaven and Jesus's return. I don't even know what it's called, but it was so providentially timed. Our pastor's father, Brother Bob, who started this church and was pastor until Eric took over, has recently been battling leukemia. As far as the doctors have said, he only has a few weeks left. Brother Eric announced this right before the choir sang, and as they poured their hearts out I was sure I wasn't the only one in the room that felt it.
It was as if the very breath of God was moving through the room like wind. My heart was so full of his presence that it was all I could do not to close my eyes and just sigh contentedly. He's coming back for us to take us home! There's no sadness and loss and pain there! Just Him, forever! Hallelujah!
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I wrote the above a couple weeks ago. Since then, Brother Bob has gone home to be with Jesus. As our pastor said, "His faith became his sight". While I am heavy-hearted at the pain his family and friends, and really the whole church, has been going through, can you imagine the great joy he is experiencing? Can you imagine what he felt when he saw the face of the Lord for the first time? All he had worked for his whole life, come to completion as his Father says "Well done, my good and faithful servant"? He is whole, fully whole, for the first time. He is completely unstained by sin, perfect for the first time. He is where his heart has longed to be for so long.
He's left a great legacy here on Earth. The church he began is praising God even through our mourning. So many lives have been changed because of his willingness to give God his life. Even more lives have been affected by his three godly children he raised. And even more will be reached through his grandchildren. He was truly a "good and faithful servant".
So even in our mourning, we can rejoice. We will see him again.
_________________________________________________________________
I wrote the above a couple weeks ago. Since then, Brother Bob has gone home to be with Jesus. As our pastor said, "His faith became his sight". While I am heavy-hearted at the pain his family and friends, and really the whole church, has been going through, can you imagine the great joy he is experiencing? Can you imagine what he felt when he saw the face of the Lord for the first time? All he had worked for his whole life, come to completion as his Father says "Well done, my good and faithful servant"? He is whole, fully whole, for the first time. He is completely unstained by sin, perfect for the first time. He is where his heart has longed to be for so long.
He's left a great legacy here on Earth. The church he began is praising God even through our mourning. So many lives have been changed because of his willingness to give God his life. Even more lives have been affected by his three godly children he raised. And even more will be reached through his grandchildren. He was truly a "good and faithful servant".
So even in our mourning, we can rejoice. We will see him again.
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