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"...that we may be able to comfort
them which are in any trouble, |
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How Can We Can You Answer These Four Questions?
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| "That
the trail of your faith, being much more precious than of gold
that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found
unto praise and honor, and glory at the appearing of Jesus
Christ:" 1 Peter 1:7,8
I was reading a bulb planting chart for flowering bulbs the other day. I was reminded that some bulbs in order to develop strong stems and flowers, need a long cold winter. Hyacinths, daffodils, and tulips need a pre-cooling of several weeks. This to me is a wonderful illustration of the Christian life. The Christian growth process needs the cold storms of winter to produce a strong depth and sweetness of beauty. These storms in life send us to our knees and to the word of God, which produces a song of exalting the Lord Jesus Christ. It was a great storm in my life, several years ago, when our twenty-four year old daughter was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease (ALS). Chris was the second child of five children. She was a vibrant, joyful, Christian. She had graduated from Bob Jones University and was teaching in Omaha, Nebraska. She was working on her Masters degree in education. She came home to Greenville, South Carolina, where she was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease. It was a difficult four months as we watched our beautiful darling daughter deteriorate physically into a limp rag doll. God took her home to heaven four months and four days after she was diagnosed. How I missed Chris in the days that followed! One night I could not sleep. I went into our office and got down on my knees and began to pour out my heart to the Lord. I said, "Lord, why did you take Chris"? I continued with tears streaming down my cheeks, onto the chair where I knelt. "Lord, I will not let you go until you tell me why! It seems she left so many things unfinished! She wanted to marry. I found all those books in her things on preparing a young woman for marriage. She wanted to finish her Masters degree. She loved children and was a fantastic teacher! Please Lord, I will not let you go until you tell me why!" I became still and waited. In the quietness there came the response. It was not audible, but as real as if I could touch His very presence. ‘Shirley, I gave all the things to Chris that her heart ever desired when I brought her here to heaven. She is very happy here. She loves you and her father very much, but she has no desire to return there. She is complete here in this perfect place that I have prepared for those who love me." Then there was a pause and the Lord ended our time with a question. "Could you have given Chris more down there, than I have given to her here?" I responded, "Dear Lord, please forgive me. No, I could not have given her more. I will never ask you again, Why!" Chris has been in heaven for some time now, but I have never asked that question again, "Why?" Since that time I have said goodbye to other loved ones. God gave us a ministry to people who are hurting from the loss of loved ones. One of our ministry outreaches is a monthly dinner and support ministry to those in bereavement. At one of our meetings, recently, I wrote a letter as though it was written by their loved one in heaven. It went as follows: My dear Precious Loved One, Oh! What an awesome, joyful, blessed, beautiful place this is here. Since I have arrived here, I have just wandered the streets and the gardens with wonder and joy. The opulence here is beyond description! I am continually exclaiming what a joy it is to be in this perfect place of love with my precious Savior! It is like Christmas every day here. There is so much beauty to be enjoyed. The music is more glorious than anything you have ever heard. I want to tell you how happy I am that my mission was completed, there on earth and my heavenly sojourn has begun. The angelic beings are glorious, but my Savior is the best of all. We walk and talk together each day. My joy is complete! My message to you is to tell you to faithfully serve our blessed Savior, for when you arrive here you will be sorry you did not do more for our Savior. Just be happy there and serve the Lord with your whole heart and life and soon you will arrive here and we will have a grand reunion. This year may be a little difficult for you down there since I have come on home, but you just keep on keeping on, and we will soon all be together in this blissful place. Be sure to know that I love you and want God’s best for you and know you will do a good job with the rest of your mission. Love from above, Your Loved One If you have lost someone very dear to your heart, be assured of the fact "The Lord is nigh unto them of a broken heart" …Ps. 34:18 He will bind up your broken heart and you will come forth to finish your mission with joy unspeakable and full of glory. "He healeth the broken in heart and bindeth up their wounds". God bless you dear ones. If I can be of help to you, you can e-mail me at: |
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