Easter

John 11:25

“I am the resurrection and life, whoever believes in me, though all die, whoever believes in me shall live. “

In this gospel message of eternal life after death, the mortal, finite mind fights the antithesis and absurdity of it all. How absurd, how one can hear this and have faith, and hope and take comfort?! I have walked right into the center of this message, not by purpose or by desire, but by circumstance. My dad died unexpectedly of cardiac arrest in April of 2021. He was a man of deep faith, though imperfect, he clung to every word of the gospel and did his best in his own brokenness of this world to follow and lead others to Christ. I don’t think he was afraid of death. He knew death. At age 29, he lost his first child during child birth that left him undone, weak, and vulnerable. Through years of ministry he was at the bedsides of many confined at home or hospital near their hour of death. He presided over several funerals including his beloved grandparents who raised him, they both died a week apart from each other. He didn’t stop believing in the resurrected power of Christ. After experiencing so much pain and personal loss and witnessing so much death, he didn’t sway in his belief of eternal life. He may have questioned, or wanted to bargain with God the when and how of when his own time would come, but he was sure of this finite life, he would always say, “you’re going to miss me one day.” Yes, dad, I miss you terribly. My heart aches and the sobs take my breath away. I miss hearing your voice on the phone, I miss your wit, your sarcasm, your laughter, and your bear hugs and kisses on the cheek. In the last decade of his life he was in semi-retirement and started each morning making a pot of coffee in the kitchen before sitting down in his chair to read his daily devotion. He daily surrendered himself to his Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer. He strived to be a holy and righteous man, loving his wife, his family, his neighbors and friends. I saw him live out intentional presence be it with his weekly interactions with the bank teller, grocery clerk or dry cleaner lady, or the thoughtful hand written note of encouragement and gratitude he would send in the mail. Dad left an indelible mark on those he interacted with. Though I selfishly wish he had another decade left on earth to see his grandchildren graduate high school, and college and perhaps marry, I give thanks for the example of believing in the resurrected life that I know he is experiencing life as a saint now in heaven with his Heavenly Father and other saints who have gone before and after him. That assurance of his life with Christ after his death brings me, his daughter in mourning, great comfort. I cling to the message of Isaiah in the Old Testament of God comforting his people and the hope of the New Testament message of God wiping every tear from our eyes in Revelation and comforting all who mourn in Matthew.

As if losing one parent isn’t enough in a year, we lost my father in-law in November of 2021 from dementia. We knew from the day of his diagnosis that his time was limited, but we never could have foreseen that we’d lose two pillars in our families lives so close to each other in the same year. That was a one, two, punch to the gut that knocked the wind out of us, we threw in the white towel. We surrender ourselves to God Almighty clinging to faith and prayers of those around us to see us through our grief and sorry. My father in law came to faith in his early twenties after being drawn to the faith and love of his wife’s family. He was quiet and gentle man, but when you asked his views on God and scripture he wasn’t afraid to tell you his belief and conviction of God and his goodness and his good gifts. Though he too was taken too soon from us, we take comfort knowing that he now sings in a beautiful chorus with other saints in heaven.

Lastly, a dear, beloved, friend died in April 2022 from sepsis and heart failure. She was too young to die from heart failure, even though she had survived three open heart surgeries and multiple other procedures, there was only so much a trained cardiac surgeon and medical team could do. She knew pain, but she knew God deeper. Her life turned out to be not what she had desired in her younger years, but her faith was refined like gold and she had lived and loved her family and friends well. She was on a quest to learn, and understand, through countless books, questions, and conversations with spiritual mentors. She was drawn close to God and God came close to her, until she drew her final breath, he held her in the palm of his hand during her earthly journey. She knew anger, fear, frustration, but ultimately it was her sweet, quiet and humble surrender to him that she finally had peace.

This Easter when I heard the gospel message of Christ rising from the dead, making all things new, taking the sting of death away, and giving believers, me, a living hope, I was able to say with confidence in unison with millions of other believers world wide:

‘He is risen indeed, Alleluia, Alleluia!’