I want to publicly thank and honor mom (and dad - it is hard to separate them after almost 60 years of marriage as they have shown what Paul described in Ephesians 5 as a "picture of Christ and the church" in their marriage. They both have the gift of encouragement and use it freely and frequently!)
Mom has fought the good fight and trusted God in an honest and transparent way as she has described her victories, defeats, times of waiting and times of disappointment all the while continuing to believe in the goodness and sovereignty of God. She has not "wasted her cancer" (as described by John Piper), but has used her cancer as a basis of encouraging those who are suffering, and using it as a way of "bringing glory to God" in an illustration of Jesus' answer to the question posed in John 9 about the man born blind.
For many years I have mostly prayed that mom would not "lose heart" (2 Cor 4), and in God's mercy she has experienced the inner renewal day by day as her joy and trust in the Lord has steadily increased to the point that she recently said she would not trade this cancer for anything in the world because through this she has come to very deeply know the sweetness of Jesus. In her fight through cancer I have come to really appreciate Laura Story's song Blessings.
16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. [2 Cor 4]
As Job said ".. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”
(*update: mom went to be with Jesus on Tuesday, April 24)
2 comments:
Sweet words, Jim, on this day of her passing to the other side where a great cloud of witnesses were awaiting her. She has blessed so many many lives and I know you feel richly blessed by her living example to you and Cindy and your children and grandchildren. It's hard to take in the reality of her not being on this earth now, and the next few days will be difficult. I pray as you prepare for her memorial in whatever way the family does this, you will feel comfort from so many who are God's arms to help you through these days. We love each of you. I truly felt the word bittersweet was applicable when my mother died. I missed her terribly, but was joyous in her sweet reward.
Your mother was a precious lady. I was blessed - am blessed - to have known her. I am sorry for your loss, but I am so thankful that she is finally pain free - healed completely. I am praying for you and your family and will continue to do so. Grief is a strange strange thing. Sadness and joy - all at once. Thank God we do not grieve as those who have no hope! Blessings - and much HOPE - to you all. ~ Kelley
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