Endings and Beginnings

This Saturday was an interesting one. I've felt such a range of emotions: happy, sad, weary, glad, thankful, awed.... these are the feelings that a day such as today can inspire. To start the day, Will and I took a trip down the the city of Ozark. A dear friend's brother passed away, and I knew that I wanted to be there to mourn with her. In my mind, this is what friends do. It's a biblical command: "Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn..." says Romans 12:15. As we said goodbye to Mike, I sat there and let the sorrow engulf me. Sorrow for his fiance who will never know him as her husband, and sorrow for the family who would miss his presence in their lives. The Lord soon reminded me, however, that for the believer sorrow should have no place in the lives of those we love when they sit at our earthly funeral. It made me so thankful to know that Christ is sufficient.... ultimately and completely sufficient to completely cover all of my sins. The day he drew me to himself and called me by name, I accepted Him as my Savior. Grace, forgiveness, love and salvation through Christ alone: these are the things that matter in life. And when earthly death comes, even though it may sound too idyllic, there should be only joy since we know that those we love have gone to spend eternity with the Heavenly Father who created each of us and knows every hair on our head. For the believer, and ending in this tired world only means the beginning of a new life in glory with the Father. Earthly endings mean eternal beginnings... thanks be to God!