Death is a cruel thing. It takes life away from not only the dying, but also those whose lives are intertwined with the dying. I’ve been reading daily updates on the wife of Christina’s (my wife) major professor in seminary. She is dying of cancer. In all likelihood, she’ll no longer be alive on earth by this time tomorrow. Her daughters are too young–college age–to be losing their mother. One of the daughters is tasting death far too closely for at least a second time. She was in the church at the time of the Wedgwood shootings; her best friend was shot and killed right in front of her. Death is a cruel thing.
But it is a joy to read the reflections Doug posts. They are full of faith in God. They display his trust that God will suffice, even in times of great sorrow. They echo his love for his wife. Perhaps unintentionally, they compel the reader toward a deeper faith in the God of life. It is this kind of faith?faith that is lived out in the most difficult of circumstances?that honors God.
One other thing these posts have done for me, and hopefully for other readers: they have reaffirmed God’s ultimate victory over death. We may lose a friend or a family member on earth. But, for those whose trust is in Christ Jesus, earthly death is merely temporal. Praise God for His gift of victory over death!
Impacting the Kingdom through Worship,
[...] wife of a pastor for whom my wife used to serve as administrative assistant died last week from cancer, too. The dreaded nature of the disease can’t be [...]