One day we will die. Unless Jesus returns and takes us with Him into the clouds to be with Him forever in Heaven, there is one guarantee we can depend on; One day we will die. We are not guaranteed a set number of years, a retirement after years of working for a retirement, Social Security, or the health at retirement to be able to travel or afford to travel. The only thing we can be sure of is that we will some day die in the course of our day, or just wake up dead.
Every day we hear on the news of famous people who have passed away, learn that friends have died or that some natural disaster has claimed the lives of scores of people in some far-off place we may never have heard of. No one is immune and all of us are impacted by the report that there has been an accident or illness which has claimed a life, or an argument has escalated into a homicide or an act of terrorism has cost innocent people their lives.
This week has been no different. We lost some friends in a horrible accident in Colorado and our former pastor and his wife were with them, and were nearly killed in the same accident. Another former pastor lived within a few hundred feet of the accident site and his wife was able to be with and comfort the surviving couple as they grieved the event which had just taken place. One of our close friends here at the Passion Play just lost her father, and another has been diagnosed with cancer, and we hear on the news of those who have died in the floods in Louisiana and today in the earthquake in Italy. There is no end to the "bad" news and there are many who angrily ask "where was God when those "bad" things happened? But the truth is; God IS THERE, in every event. And, those who die and those who live trusting God, resting in the hope He offers to those who do believe in Him will live with Him in Eternity if they die now or in eternity with Him if they survive now but die later.
That last sentence may need to be read again because it doesn't sound like it makes sense, but it does. It is that truth which allows us to grieve the earthly loss of Josh and Sherri, pray for Rob and Joy as they grieve that earthly loss and know that God IS in control and will one day reveal to those of us who trust in Him why grief is part of the blessings we experience. Yes, we will die.......but for those who have Jesus as the foundation of their life........that's the GOOD NEWS. THANK YOU, JESUS.
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hello hal my wife and i met you at the tabernacle teaching couple weeks ago it was just us 3 . then we met you again at the passion play. trusting all is well
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