“A time to be born, a time to die,” Ecclesiastes 3:2. This came home to us anew when our great-grandson was born yesterday on the same day we would be attending the funeral of a departed saint, Sandy, the mother-in-law of our son, Mark. While baby Landon’s race is just beginning with his first wide-eyed wonderment of the world, our friend’s earthly journey is complete. However, her eternity is just beginning, where she is no doubt in wide-eyed wonder of her new surroundings. Just as the precious infant has no idea of what marvels, sights and mysteries the world holds, the Bible says ,“But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him,” I Corinthians 2:9.
From all accounts of those paying tribute to Sandy at her home going, including maybe hundreds of Facebook postings I saw, hers was a life well lived, full of God’s love expressed toward her fellowman. Judging from the upwards of a thousand people who came to honor her yesterday, they felt the same way. No matter how low or lofty their estate, there was always room for one more in the very large heart of this gracious lady. The downcast, the lonely, or the unfortunate found a special welcome there, for her life was the reflection of Christ and his teachings lived out.
We are all born in our particular set of circumstances, and from the slide show of photographs in the pre-service yesterday, it was evident that Sandy had been nurtured in a loving family from her earliest days…a well-cared-for tot in play clothes posing prettily on a the running board of a car, a back view in poignant silhouette as a vulnerable child with a headful of curls, a solemn, trustful school girl pic, and on to wedding scenes and the fulfilling days beyond. She had a spiritual heritage that was nurtured as well in religious training referred to in her story.
I am grateful the new addition to our extended family has a heritage of faith that he can build on. God used a tragedy in my family when I was a young teen to bring us to the knowledge of salvation. My mother’s ardent prayers for her family have resulted in a host of descendants who are living in the faith learned and passed on from her, from generation to generation.
The torch is being passed yet again to the new little guy whose parents are Christians, his grandfather a minister, as is his great-grandfather Howard, my husband. We can trust the future to Him, for the Bible says there is a time and a season for every purpose under heaven.
No comments:
Post a Comment