Loss. . .

     Last night I was given a call by my mother. There was a solemn, tear-jerked, quiver in her voice. Her words were short, to the point and determined. "She's gone" my mother stated.

     After a stroke three months ago. After going in and out of rehab and the hospital and the assisted living facility. After improving then declining, then improving then declining again. After three months of fighting and trying and pushing. And after over four scores of years lived to the fullest, loving the Lord, loving her family, and giving deeply from her heart; my grandmother passed from her temporary home into her eternal state.

     When God created Adam and his helpmate Eve in the beautiful Garden of Eden the only thing that we can assume they knew was how to say "hello." Not actually, as i'm sure the words were there, but the concept of hello would have been supreme. As humanity, we are not created to say goodbye at all. We are intended for life, and every type of goodbye is, in some way or another, a form of death. This death is what goes against our created nature.

     She will be missed dearly. This goodbye is a hard one. I've been to funerals in the past. I've performed "last rites" if you wanted to use that language. I've preached burial ceremonies and funerals several times in my ministry positions. But, this one. . .this one is different. This funeral will be hard, just plain hard. . .

     My grandmother's journey home was at least expected to some degree. But the expectancy of goodbye does not make it any more customary to a person.

     Having faith in the Lord is the hope of eternity. I believe, and know that she in a perfect state knowing fully, as she once was fully known. The hope we have is a hope in a resurrection just like the resurrection we witness through the Bible that Jesus experienced. It is beautiful, it is glorious, and it is altogether holy.

     Bless the Lord for a life well lived. A family well loved. and a resurrection well-received! Please be in prayer for my family right now as we figure out logistics, and grieve the loss of a dear heart.

Amen,

Andrew J. Belcher
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