Today I Will Celebrate

One year ago today, Lois died. It was only the end of her journey here on earth – her soul, the “real” Lois lives on with her heavenly Father for all eternity. How can we possibility be sad about that? Lois is embracing and enjoying the total presence of God in the very place that God intended from before the beginning.

In this journey we call life, no one is immune to death; apart from the return of Christ, every one of us will die. Death comes in many forms: old age, chronic illness, accidents, cancer, or some unforeseen sudden failure of a critical organ in our body. Death is coming.

As Christ-followers we have the opportunity (or obligation?) to respond to death in a way that is Biblically informed; an attitude which sets us apart. As Believers we know that death is not the end – it is actually the beginning. We know that death is not to be feared because to be “absent from the body is to be present with the Lord” (2Cor 5:8). We know that eternal life as joint heirs with Christ is to be valued far more than all the riches this world could possibly offer.

Whenever the negative emotions creep in, I remind myself that I am not on the throne, God is! His power and grace and mercy and presence are what I need – and I need that far more than I need Lois! Do I miss Lois? Yes. But I fully recognize that this journey isn’t about me. It’s all about God – the maker of the heavens and the earth; the great Giver who sent His only Son to pay the price for my sin; the Master of the universe who cares so much about me that He knows my every thought. So I center my thoughts on Him.

Today I will celebrate: The Lord gives and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord!

8 thoughts on “Today I Will Celebrate”

  1. Jim, I pray for an extra supply of love and grace for you today as you remember. Thank you for your article. We love you.

  2. What an encouragement you are to me! 🙂 Hope your time in Indiana is good…I’m praying for Joy, Peter and Kari that they, too, will be able to say, “Blessed be the name of the Lord!”

  3. Thank you for sharing these thoughts, Jim. God has certainly given you a gift for expressing truth and in words that many of us can not verbally express adequately.

    My brother,72, just had his 6th, and hopefully last, treatment for lymphoma. He was in physically good shape although this last treatment really took him down to his lowest ebb.

    I think that you know Marguerite Thompson (Ron & Margueite owned LOGOS at one time I believe) had surgery for stage 4 cancer but it seems to be in her liver and lung as I understand it now.

    Bless you personally and in your work

  4. Thank you for sharing this. Yesterday would have been my mom’s 54th birthday and it would have been really easy to get sad and think of the past (almost) 10 years without her but I will chose to rejoice as well!

  5. Is this a tension to be managed or a problem to be solved? You are a living example of how to handle adversity. I covet that ability in my own small life. Jeremiah knew it all to well, only after the dark night of suffering can we ever say Joy comes in the morning. It is a future yet to be enjoyed with our loved ones.

  6. I trust God to continue in His care of you and your family. Thank you so much for sharing with us. Blessings, Jean

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