This morning I was reading verses on God’s presence.. One of the verses was Romans 8:38-39. When I turned to it, I knew I was familiar with it and started to rush through reading it. But all of a sudden it had new meaning.
”For I am convinced that neither death nor life...”
I have felt surrounded by death in the past few weeks. Not only my own personal loss but the loss of those I know and love, and even strangers.
Death feels so permanent and final even though I know and believe in the sweet assurance of the resurrection when Jesus comes back. Death also feels so lonely. Yes, I feel lonely but for the person who has died. They are in the cold, dark earth without anyone. And even though I know they are not aware, I just don’t like it.
Today is Tai Tai’s funeral and tomorrow they will bury her next to her husband, a man I have never met, but will meet when Jesus returns. Two leaders of my spiritual heritage. I cannot be there and I haven’t seen her in years but somehow knowing that they will put her in the ground tears me up.
“...will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
I stopped, as if suddenly I’d seen a flicker of light in a dark room. What? How had I never ever seen this?
Death does not, is not able, to separate us from the love of God.
I guess I’d always assumed that this somehow meant that His love would raise us from the dead. And yes, yes--that is true, but today I saw more.
We are never separated from God’s love. Not even in death. So even in death Marissa is not separated from His love and neither is Tai Tai. They are not alone. Somehow God’s love is with Marissa and Tai Tai. As if it wraps warm and light around them as they await His voice to call them forth from the grave.
I don’t know what this comforts me so much. It’s just to know that somehow, someway God’s love with with them and with us. Warming us, comforting us...
It’s still hard and my heart feels too heavy to lift when I think about Tai Tai or Marissa in the ground I now have a verse to turn back to.
Nothing can separate us from God’s love--even now.
”For I am convinced that neither death nor life...”
I have felt surrounded by death in the past few weeks. Not only my own personal loss but the loss of those I know and love, and even strangers.
Death feels so permanent and final even though I know and believe in the sweet assurance of the resurrection when Jesus comes back. Death also feels so lonely. Yes, I feel lonely but for the person who has died. They are in the cold, dark earth without anyone. And even though I know they are not aware, I just don’t like it.
Today is Tai Tai’s funeral and tomorrow they will bury her next to her husband, a man I have never met, but will meet when Jesus returns. Two leaders of my spiritual heritage. I cannot be there and I haven’t seen her in years but somehow knowing that they will put her in the ground tears me up.
“...will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
I stopped, as if suddenly I’d seen a flicker of light in a dark room. What? How had I never ever seen this?
Death does not, is not able, to separate us from the love of God.
I guess I’d always assumed that this somehow meant that His love would raise us from the dead. And yes, yes--that is true, but today I saw more.
We are never separated from God’s love. Not even in death. So even in death Marissa is not separated from His love and neither is Tai Tai. They are not alone. Somehow God’s love is with Marissa and Tai Tai. As if it wraps warm and light around them as they await His voice to call them forth from the grave.
I don’t know what this comforts me so much. It’s just to know that somehow, someway God’s love with with them and with us. Warming us, comforting us...
It’s still hard and my heart feels too heavy to lift when I think about Tai Tai or Marissa in the ground I now have a verse to turn back to.
Nothing can separate us from God’s love--even now.
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3 comments:
Thinking and praying for you, Beth-Anne and Matt. Also for the families of those who have lost ones they love. Death is so foreign for it was never meant to be our experience. But, I am also thankful for the hope we have in Jesus. May God continue to bring healing to your heart.
I love this thought. I hadn't ever thought about that verse that way either. But it is very comforting. Thank you!
I love it. Thank you for sharing.
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