My
Memorial 10-02-15
Luke 24:5 (ESV) 5 And as they were
frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do
you seek the living among the dead?
A personal testimony this week.
Today is my mother's(memaw)
birthday.This is the first birthday that she has not been around; God choosing
to take her home last February. This Wednesday past, while walking
the neighborhood thinking about what I would write on this week, I thought of
paying my respects to my mom. It was odd however. How so? As I pictured my
mother's grave site in my mind, I was not moved. I had no real emotion as I
rehearsed in my mind's eye standing at her grave, on her first birthday after
going home with the Lord. Although it did not really bother me, I wondered why
no flow of emotion.
I even asked the Lord why it was
that I was lacking any emotional response. As I walked a little further a verse
shot across my mind.
..." Why do you seek the living
among the dead?"
The question posed by the angels at
Jesus' empty tomb. Well, I pondered on that for a little while longer and all of
a sudden I had a "God" moment.
I looked up at the sky and the
clouds which had been with us all day were breaking up in the western sky. It
was tendering towards sundown, and a big patch of blue sky had opened up.
Through the hole in the clouds the sun was setting, turning the clouds that
color of reddish, pink, orange. You know what I am talking about don't you? That
multi hued sky as the sun sets some time. "Red sky at night, sailors
delight,"
that was the canopy I
am endeavoring to describe.
Standing there, gazing at the
sky,all of a sudden I knew........I KNEW that all was well. It was a rush in my
insides telling me everything was O.K. I mean it was a complete feeling of
peace. I felt the Holy Spirit come over me like a wash. I stopped for a few
seconds just to offer a moment of grateful praise to God. Yes, Pastor Doug,
outside in the land of the living! (big smile and chuckle)Then those words
again returned to my head.
"Why do you seek the living among
the dead?"
It was like a flood in my soul.Why
was I picturing my mother's grave site? SHE WASN'T AND ISN'T
THERE!!
That one thought filled my mind and
heart. Memaw isn't there! Listen, I am writing this on Thursday night because I
plan to go visit my mother's grave site tomorrow. That's what we do here on
earth. But, my mother, Memaw to me, isn't in that cemetery. No, no. She is
somewhere in the corridors of eternity, doing whatever it is they do in
Heaven. And I will see her soon enough.
1 Corinthians 15:54-55 (ESV) 54 When the
perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then
shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is
swallowed up in victory.”
55 “O
death, where is your victory? O death, where is your
sting?”
In the midst of this moment, just
for the briefest of time, I hastened for the day that the Lord Jesus would
return. Either for me personally, or for all His people who are looking and
longing for Him.That great homecoming in the sky. Then, as quickly and magically
as it had appeared,.. it was over.A moment, a gift from God, for me to relive at some point in the
future. It was just one of those times when God visits us.
Brothers and sisters, the Lord Jesus is
the real deal. He is the ONE TRUE AND LIVING GOD. And He is coming back for His
own,soon and very soon, just as He came for my mother this year past.
If you have lost a loved one recently or
not so recently, remember this. Try and not fret or grieve, as impossible as
that may sound.And know this for a truth. The next time that you go to the
cemetery in memory or to pay respects to the departed, don't be looking for
them, because they aren't there. When they named the name of Jesus as their
Savior and Lord, they booked a reservation in the halls of glory. They wouldn't
come back if they could. Amen.
Why do you seek the living among the
dead.
Psalm 116:15 (ESV) 15 Precious in the
sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.
God Bless
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