Twenty-two years ago today, Ruth Marshall, my Mom, died.  It was supposed to be an exciting time in our lives.  After nine years living outside of Pennsylvania, Nancy and I, along with Abby who was only eight months old, were moving back to Pennsylvania.  In fact, three days later my Mom and Dad were scheduled to drive to Cincinnati, to help us move to Valencia, PA.  Instead, those days were filled with preparing for Mom's funeral, going through the visitation and then celebrating Mom's life at the Service of Witness to the Resurrection on February 2, 1990.  After all the years, I am even more grateful for today's words from the Apostle Paul:  ¹³And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope.  1 Thessalonians 4:13 NLT 

We don't grieve like people who have no hope.  Our grief is hopeful.  I have to admit that in the hours and days after I found out Mom died, I wasn't hopeful at first.  I was angry.  I was sad.  I wanted to know, "Why?"  Why did Mom have to die, just when we were going to be a two hour drive away, and she would get to spoil her new granddaughter?  Why did I have to live without a mother just as I started a new call as a lead pastor for the first time?  Why me?  I know that doesn't sound very spiritual.  It doesn't sound very strong.  That's because it wasn't.

As the days, and weeks became months, and eventually years my grief became more hopeful.  Sure, I was able to understand and affirm with my head at my Mom's funeral that she was with God--which I believe fervently!­ I was able to affirm that much good had already come in the situation, but the affirmation was mostly with my head, not with my heart.  Eventually, I have been able to give thanks to God for all the time we had with Mom, for all the love I received from her, all the lessons I learned from her.  The hole left by her passing from this life is still there.  My biggest regret for her is she missed out on knowing her wonderful granddaughters, and now great-granddaughters. She always wanted granddaughters, because she had three brothers and no sisters, and four sons and no daughters.

As I think about Mom today, in light of 1 Thessalonians 4:13, I think of her being with God for twenty-two years.  In heaven time is irrelevant since there is only day and no night, but I can't really imagine how amazing it must be to have been in God's presence for twenty-two years.  My hope--my ultimate assurance of victory is that one day, I won't have to imagine how amazing it is.  Because of Jesus' death and resurrection, because of His paying the penalty for my sin and yours, one day I'll be experiencing the same joy as Mom. All of us who trust in Jesus will! We grieve with hope, hopeful grief.  Thanks be to God for that victory, which as with all ultimate victories comes from the hand of Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord!

Let's pray:  Heavenly Father, I thank You for every person, who having lived this life in faith in Your Son, Jesus, now lives eternally with You!  Fill us with the Holy Spirit that we may honor the example they set for us and live the life that is truly life in Jesus' name.  Amen.