Later this morning, Nancy and I will be attending the service of witness to the resurrection for our friend, Mike.  Some would say he lost his eight year battle with cancer.  I would say he won.  Mike knew Jesus, and now he knows Jesus--face to face!  That's the end goal of the Christian life, at least that's what we say, what we preach and hopefully what we live.  The Apostle Paul placed so much focus on the resurrection to eternal life with Jesus that he said, "If Christ has not been raised then we are of all people are the most to be pitied." 

Yes, living in Jesus here and now is vital.  Mike showed us how to do that in the midst of pain and suffering.  He trusted that God was with him, and we saw God's hand on Mike in so many ways over these past years.  His heart became more and more tender towards Jesus, to his beloved Sally and Marshall, and to the rest of us who knew him.  Mike didn't dwell on his condition.  In fact, every time I went to visit him, the first thing Mike asked was, "How's Chris?"  As Jesus takes greater and greater control in our lives, we focus more and more on what matters--Jesus and sharing Him and His love with others.  At the end of the day what truly matters is our relationship with God, through Jesus, and the network of relationships we build with brothers and sister in Jesus and with those who don't yet know Jesus. 

As I was talking with Sally the other day, she told me how just recently Mike had developed a friendship with a young man who had  just found out he had cancer.  Mike bought the young man a Bible, brought it home and underlined many passages that had brought him strength and then gave it to him.  What a gift!  The word of God, with encouragement on how to deal with a particular type of challenge from one who knows that challenge first hand!  I pray that God's word and Mike's encouragement will comfort the young man and draw him into a relationship with Jesus that will sustain him in and through the journey.

I thank God that I knew Mike, and I thank God that because of what Jesus has done in both of our lives our friendship will continue in the future--the eternal future.  Christ HAS been raised, and because of that we will be raised, too.  Thanks, Mike, for showing all of us that God isn't absent in our suffering---He's the One who gets us through it.

Let's pray:  Heavenly Father, I thank You for ALL who having lived this life in faith, now live eternally with You, including my friend, Mike.  I thank You for the promise of Your word, that all who put our trust in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, will experience the life that is truly life here and now, and then will continue to enjoy life in its perfected form with You forever.  Fill us anew with Your Holy Spirit that we may enjoy Your grace and extend Your glory to everyone we meet.  This we pray in Jesus' name.