He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.
Revelation 21:4 (English Standard Version)
I tried writing this message about 3 weeks ago. I could not do it. I still am not sure I will get through this one. In all honesty, I am sad. My earthly father passed away about three weeks ago. I had visited him in the hospital three months ago while he was in ICU. He was not able to speak with his voice, so he communicated by writing notes and using gestures. There were many signs of improvement. He had been moved to a different facility, but still was not able to go home. Well, now he is in his Heavenly home. I will be gathering with my loved ones soon to celebrate my dad's life.
I never doubted my father's love for me. He supported most of the things I did, even when he did not understand them. We argued about what I wanted to do for a living, but helped me move in and out of almost every classroom I taught in. One year, he decorated wildly with my posters (laminated photos of fractals from an old calendar). When the other teacher I was to share the classroom with arrived, she rearranged everything. She told me she was a trained artist and our design was not pleasing to the eye. (Sorry, dad!)
He loved all of his children, but I have the distinction of being named after him.
He was raised by a single mom, his father abandoning them when he was a child. He was the oldest child, and was expected to look after all of the others. And he did, even having them live with him and his young wife for a time. His father did pop back into their lives, but after they were all grown and he needed them to do something for him.
My dad would do anything he could for his family. After he retired and had time for doctor's appointments, he found out he would need to see more and more doctors. Often. When he retired, though, I was just about to have my second child. My dad asked if he could share in the daily childcare. My husband's father was already looking after our first child everyday while we worked. We ended up having "Papa Daycare", our children alternating days of the week at their grandparents homes. We were extremely blessed to have lived in the same city. When we moved to Oklahoma, all of our lives were turned upside down. We no longer had the physical proximity of our families, or all that we had known.
I could say more about my relationship with my earthly father, but I do not have all day. It has already taken me hours just to write what I have. Sorry if it just seems like I am rambling, but my heart hurts and I am having a hard time concentrating.
I just need to reassure myself, as well as all who are reading this, that God did not create us so that we would have hardships and heartaches. When sin entered this world, so did all of those things. God has not abandoned us, though. He has made us a promise. Someday we will not feel these hurts. This life on earth is temporary for all of us. I want to spend my eternity with the Father, worshipping and rejoicing. Until then, I can rejoice now. My dad is no longer suffering. There is a time to mourn, but there is also a time to rejoice. I shall do both!
For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
2 a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; 3 a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; 4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 5 a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 6 a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; 7 a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; 8 a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (English Standard Version)
He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.
Revelation 21:4 (English Standard Version)
Comments