In the past 4 weeks, we’ve lost two important people in our lives: Caron’s sister, Leslie, and our great friend and long time ministry partner, Bernard Deloach, whose memorial service is tomorrow at Discovery Church, Orlando, the very place we had the joy and privilege, and, sometimes, pain of serving the Lord together for 25 years. It’s been a really tough month.
Losing these gigantic players from our lives is catastrophic.
After the passing of Caron’s sister, several weeks ago, I blogged about how we all will face, more than a few times, the mystery of suffering through loss in, “Where is God In Our Loss?
While losing someone close to us is probably one of the most challenging spiritual trials we’ll ever go through, in the case of our sister and friend, there has, also, at the same time, been exponential gain for them.
The Apostle Paul wrote something that initially sounds bizarre to us on this side of eternity.
Phil 1:21 “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
Paul wasn’t pontificating while lounging at a Four Seasons resort when He wrote this. When he wrote this letter, he was in the dire circumstances of imprisonment- knowing he’s been sentenced to death and chained to a Roman guard. He is getting ready to meet death and yet he shouts with victory-
“to die is gain.”
Bernard and Leslie lived much of this past year as prisoners in bodies that were fighting off disease.
What could they possibly gain? And what will we gain when we face death one day?
1) Bernard and Leslie gained a better body. And, so will we – a glorified, resurrected body.
2 Corinthians 5:1-4 “The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever. For instance, we know that when these bodies of ours are taken down like tents and folded away, they will be replaced by resurrection bodies in heaven- God made, not handmade- and we’ll never have to relocate our “tents” again.
Sometimes, we can hardly wait to move- and so we cry out in frustration. Compared to what’s coming, living conditions around here seem like a stopover in an unfurnished shack, and we’re tired of it. We’ve been given a glimpse of the real thing, our true home, our resurrection bodies.”
Because of Jesus, death must always give way to resurrection. And with resurrection all things are made new—first, it’s a better body, one that never grows old, knows no disease, suffers no pain, is perfect in every way, and best of all, never dies again.
Finally, all that medical paraphernalia that has surrounded Bernard and Leslie is gone!
2) Bernard and Leslie gain a better home/better environment, and one day, so will we.
Leslie loved nature’s beauty… loved the beach…. She loved the tranquility of her home and backyard… but if she could communicate with us now, she would tell us that those lovely creations we see now are actually just a teaser for what is to come: the Pure,True Beauty of an endless garden, the grandest, grace-built home imaginable, a shimmering, shining city in an endless kingdom of everlasting joy.
John 14:1-3.Don’t let your heart be troubled.. In my Father’s house are many dwelling places…I go to prepare a place for you.
The Bible actually lets us know, in multiple places, that spending eternity in the most amazing place you could imagine… includes the most mind-blowing beauty and stunning perfection, where people worship… play…work.. serve.. eat.. drink… rest.. travel…all in the delightful presence of our Heavenly Dad.
A great book on the topic of heaven is “Heaven” by Randy Alcorn.
3) Bernard and Leslie gained the most amazing Person, as well as the ultimate realization that they have actually been a participant with Him in the greatest story ever told.
They will spend, and so will you, if your heart is open, eternity with the most amazing person you ever hoped to be with, in the most amazing place you could ever dream of.
Who is this person?
I’ve never found a better way of expressing who He is than S.M. Lockrige’s incredible description:
“He’s the King of the ages, He’s the King of Heaven. He’s the King of glory.
He’s enduringly strong. He’s entirely sincere. He’s eternally steadfast. He’s immortally graceful. He’s imperially powerful. He’s impartially merciful. He’s the greatest phenomenon that has ever crossed the horizon of this world. He’s a sinner’s Savior. He’s the centerpiece of civilization. He’s unparalleled. He’s unprecedented.
He is the superlative of everything good that you choose to call Him. He’s the only one qualified to be an all-sufficient Savior. He supplies strength for the weak. He’s available for the tempted and the tried. He sympathizes and He saves. He strengthens and sustains. He guards and He guides.
He forgives sinners. He discharges debtors. He delivers the captives. He defends the feeble. He blesses the young. He serves the unfortunate. He regards the aged. He rewards the diligent and He beautifies the meager
He’s the key to knowledge. He’s the wellspring of wisdom. He’s the doorway of deliverance. He’s the pathway of peace. He’s the roadway of righteousness. He’s the highway of holiness.
I wish I could describe Him to you but… He’s indescribable. He’s incomprehensible, He’s invincible. He’s irresistable. Well, you can’t get him out of your mind. You can’t you can’t get Him off of your hand. You can’t outlive him. And You can’t live without Him.”
Are you kidding me?!!!!
Can I get a “yes, yes” to that? He IS THAT and so much farther beyond even our most intelligent comprehension
—He is THE One Bernard and Leslie have now fully gained!
The same One, we too, are now in the process of obtaining a little bit more, day by day by day.
Think About This:
The sadness we feel with the loss of a loved one cracks us wide open to a new and larger space… a never before known interior place of opportunity that allows God to invade us — gives him access to our all our pain and our sorrow so he can share it with us—and it gives him a new way to enter all those other places inside us that still need his healing and resurrection.
4) So, there is gain in this loss for us, too.
Let’s not waste our sorrows.
Painting by Hedi Malott http://hmalott.blogspot.com
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Great words David. Both of these great people were true mirrors of Jesus.