Today we lost an amazing man. He had been bravely fighting cancer for the past few years. Today his fight is finally over. We fasted and prayed incessantly for his healing. We constantly confessed and spoke in faith about his getting up and being totally recovered. Why we won't get to see it on this side of heaven, I don't know.
However, I would never think of his passing as his defeat. On the contrary, he fought his battle and won. His victory may not look the way we all envisioned it, but it is a victory nonetheless. Those who visited and prayed for him in the past few months that he was shut in, all came out with reports of amazing faith, amazing strength, amazing determination and a contagious love for God. However many times they visited him, they'd always come out inspired. He shared his faith with each and everyone he could up until the very last moment he could.
No, he didn't lose, and most importantly, we didn't lose him to cancer, or to death. Cancer ultimately won him to us so we could be blessed, enriched and inspired by what would turn out to be his last years of life. Today we mourn the loss of his presence among us. Today we suffer the pain of not seeing him again for an indefinite period of time. In the midst of it, though, we have certain hope... hope of life eternal in the presence of a perfect God, hope of redemption and restoration, and hope of a joyous reunion. We also rest. We rest in knowing that God above all things, even those things we don't understand. God of those things we are not meant to understand just yet.
However, I would never think of his passing as his defeat. On the contrary, he fought his battle and won. His victory may not look the way we all envisioned it, but it is a victory nonetheless. Those who visited and prayed for him in the past few months that he was shut in, all came out with reports of amazing faith, amazing strength, amazing determination and a contagious love for God. However many times they visited him, they'd always come out inspired. He shared his faith with each and everyone he could up until the very last moment he could.
No, he didn't lose, and most importantly, we didn't lose him to cancer, or to death. Cancer ultimately won him to us so we could be blessed, enriched and inspired by what would turn out to be his last years of life. Today we mourn the loss of his presence among us. Today we suffer the pain of not seeing him again for an indefinite period of time. In the midst of it, though, we have certain hope... hope of life eternal in the presence of a perfect God, hope of redemption and restoration, and hope of a joyous reunion. We also rest. We rest in knowing that God above all things, even those things we don't understand. God of those things we are not meant to understand just yet.
2 comments:
....faith that encompases life and death....it is deep and wide and beyond our understanding...we entrust ourselves to a loving God....just some thoughts....I read your blog last night and was praying for his family....thanks for sharing your beautiful thoughts and wisdom.....peace...corrie
Oh my Keila, You know it's funny how sometimes in situations like this how your faith can be restore by seeing the person who is actually the one in the situation.. Did that make sence.. Please give my reguards to his family.. Miss you lots.. Kristi
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