Life and Death

Beth-Anne and I have thought of death a great deal recently. At the recent, tragic loss of our student, Beth-Anne's great-grandmother passing, and other losses - recent and not so recent - we have been confronted in a more real way with the fragility of life.

Often, I consider that this could be the last moment I have with so-and-so, or this could be the final time to be around so-and-so. And this seems a more meaningful way to live on the outset, but it is rather miserable. Beth-Anne thus considers it a blessing that the Lord does not reveal the future to us. If He did, surely we would live wretchedly. We would no doubt hold each other too closely, smothering them, to allow them to live freely as they ought to.

Nonetheless, with the Lord's help and wisdom we can live fully in the present, embracing those we love in the Lord's way - loving them now the way we so often wish we had loved others who are no longer with us.

Father, help us to love each other fully in each moment. Life operates around relationships, so please let us appreciate and love those whom You have given us to love.