Reflecting back

As I reflect back over the past 10 days or so, I can see God's providence in all that has happened from the moment we first learned of my husband and our children's father's death.

The fear that I initially felt, is gone. It is replaced by the loving greatness of a God that loves us even at our lowest.

This morning we will bury his body. Put to rest the remains of a man that at one time an alcoholic, that served time in war, saw the terrifying effects of it, but later acknowledged that he needed a Savior.

Jesus Christ.

The war in his soul continued to rage on. Down through the years. No one suspected it was as bad as it probably was and finally got to be too heavy a burden for him to control.

But his life reminds of that old hymn "Just As I Am."

Because that is how God accepts us. Just as we are. And if he didn't do that for us, heaven would be empty of his children and hell would be full.

The devil comes to steal, kill and destroy. (John 10:10) He couldn't do it to Larry on the battlefield of Viet Nam as he did 5 of his friends in his unit. He couldn't do it through alcohol even though I am here to tell you, he did try. But he did do it on a lonely Florida road, by himself on A Friday evening.

The good news about it is that while he did destroy Larry's body, he didn't destroy his soul. And when in that second he left this earth, I do believe that Jesus took him in to the gates of heaven, just as he was.

Only now, he was a brand-new creation. No longer a tortured soul living with the pain that he had been dealt with by sin over his lifetime. He was 75 years old. That is a long time to endure that pain. 

Thank God for his mercy that is never ending.

Thank that His grace is new every morning.

And thank God that his love will cover those of us that will bury his body this morning.

And forever.

We come to God not because he wants us to first   be clean from the dirt and grime of this world.

But because he takes us and makes us clean.

We come to God just as we are.

Thank you, my friends for letting me share the pain I myself am feeling, but also the hope that is in my Lord.

God bless you!