Yesterday at 10:15 AM, my mother’s life ended with a quiet sigh. At 6 AM, she spoke to me briefly, asking my help with her breathing, then she slept until her last breath. No matter how full of faith we may be, death is wrenching, hitting squarely, leaving us reeling, dazed. I stood over her body, numb with the realization that she had moved out of reach. Later in the day, the fury of sorrow unleashed itself in my body and soul like a terrible hurricane, tossing the debris of memories, stirring up the silt of regrets, blotting out the sun with the dark clouds. And, then this morning, I awakened and walked downstairs to Mom’s apartment only to discover a wet floor and water coming from the ceiling from a toilet that is broken. And, I laughed as I cried! It’s just not Heaven yet.
But, I am not hopeless. Way out there, out on the periphery of the darkness, a light glimmers. I hear a echo of the Truth I preached hundreds of times. "It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day." (2 Corinthians 4:13-16, NIV)
Death and broken toilets, both part of this journey we call life. So, is love and laughter, things that work as designed, and beauty that points us toward eternity’s bliss. Let me share a couple of the moments when the Spirit pointed me past the gloom to the glory. Mom’s final hours here on earth were graced with love. Her body was broken, but her spirit was intact. So often I went to her bedside to find her hands raised in prayer. In quasi-consciousness Sunday night, she heard the radio playing an instrumental version of the Easter hymn, “Christ, Arose.” She began to sing very quietly, “Up from the grave He arose, with a mighty triumph o’er His foes. He arose the Victor of the dark domain and He lives forever with His saints to reign.” The day before, in similar fashion, she sang “Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him, how I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er. Jesus, Jesus, Precious Jesus. Oh, for grace to trust Him more.”
Disciple, I hope this day is one of overflowing blessings, but should you be living somewhere between a broken toilet and death, I pray that you will look up and take the grace He promises. Don’t let despair block His love. He is there, He is near. Don’t deny the reality of the pain that is part of our existence. It’s real and we must acknowledge it, but there is a mitigating factor; hope! That is why the Word says that we "will not grieve like people who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died." (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14, NLT)
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I Will Rise
There's a peace I've come to know
Though my heart and flesh may fail
There's an anchor for my soul
I can say it is well
Jesus has overcome
And the grave is overwhelmed
The victory is won
He is risen from the dead
(And) I will rise when He calls my name
No more sorrow no more pain
I will rise on eagle's wings
Before my God fall on my knees and rise
I will rise
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