December 28, 2018, my
step mom, Mary Lee Spurling, defeated dementia.
That same day, Bre Payton, a conservative writer at The Federalist and frequent guest on news
outlets including Fox News, followed Mary Lee to the streets of gold. She was
26. Reportedly the illness that sent her Home, was the H1N1 Flu Virus, and
possibly meningitis.
Perhaps they walked
through the Pearly Gates together.
Mary would’ve greeted
Bre, with the brightest smile, and a, “Hi,” so sweet with her southern drawl, you’d
have smelled magnolias in the heavenly air.
Then, as if Bre were her best
friend she’d have started a-talkin’ “I’m sooo glad to finally get here and shed that
worn out old body—” she’d have smiled at Bre and said, “aren’t you?”
Bre, on the other hand,
might’ve shook her head, “Well, actually, I wasn’t through…”
Between the time we
celebrate Christmas and the new year; Mary and Bre, met the Christ, Christmas
is all about.
They took their first
breath in eternity where new years don’t exist, because time is no more and all
things are new. Where bodies never grow old or tired or sick.
One, with a life fully lived,
anxious and ready to meet her Maker. Another, near the start of her race and
running well, but not nearly ready to say, “I have fought a good fight, I have
finished my course..." (2 Tim. 4:7-8)
Well-wishers sent the
same condolences. Some brought comfort, others…a sting.
The longer I live, the
more I see death frequenting the same social circles as I. More and more I hear
phrases that start with: “God needed…God took…God wanted…” they get under my
skin.
God didn’t need another
angel so He took your baby. God didn’t want the best, so He took your son. God
is not taking lives by way of murders, rapists, drugs, drunks and thugs, nor is
He coughing out deadly diseases.
Every death is not by
the hand of God.
God is life. (John 1:1-4)
No loving parent would
purposely kill their child. God is a good father. He is love. If any parent
injected their child with cancer, or diabetes or some other sickness or
disease, they’d be considered evil by any standard.
God cannot be tempted by
or do, evil. (James 1:13)
God doesn’t even take
pleasure in the death of the wicked. He says: “ ‘As I live,’ says the Lord God,
‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from
his way and live.” (Ezekiel 33:11)
God is light. (1 John 1:5)
Death is no respecter of
persons. It will devour all it can, young, old, healthy, sick. But, God is the
conqueror of death. (Rev. 21:4)
Pastor Hans Fiene, a
friend of Bre, said: “Because God did not create Bre to die, we weep.
But because of Christ and His promise of eternal life, we weep with Easter in
our tears.”
“…with Easter in our
tears.” I like that.
We weep, but not without
hope. Because of Jesus and His resurrection, death has no power over those who
belong to Christ. Right now, at this very moment, Mary and Bre know this, beyond
the shadow of a doubt. (1 Thes. 4:13-18)
We live in a broken
world. Sin and sickness run rampant. But, it is not God’s will.
Just because something
happens, does not mean it’s God’s will.
God cannot be blamed for
every disease, every death, every major thing that happens. We should not say,
“Well, everything happens for a reason” as if everything that happens was
divinely orchestrated.
I recently heard a
friend say about his wife having breast cancer, “Well, everything’s from
God.”
So, does that mean, God
gave her breast cancer? Does that mean my brother in law’s fatal heart attack
was God given? My friend’s daughter has diabetes; was that doled out by God?
Not according to
scripture and the nature of a loving heavenly Father.
If everything that
happens is orchestrated by God. If every sickness and disease and death is by
the hand of God. If all the happenings of the world are by the all knowing,
seeing, powerful hand of God, then why would Jesus say to pray like this:
“Our Father which art in
heaven, hallowed by thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth,
as it is in heaven…”
Why pray for His will to
be done, if His will is going to be done no matter what?
There is no greater joy
than knowing the love of our Heavenly Father. There is no greater pain, or
confusion, than thinking, our Heavenly Father is spewing the swine flu or
injecting folks with cancer or stealing the life from babies in their crib or
steering drunks into innocent families.
The cause and origin of
death and disease varies in a multitude of ways; but to know where it’s not coming
from is vital.
If He brought the
disease, then, why would we be instructed to pray for the sick so they can be
healed? Why is it recorded with undeniable proof that Jesus healed everyone
that came to Him?
If we think God is the
author of the confusion, the death, the disease, then, how can we go to Him for
help in our time of need? How can we pray for healing? Or for anything for that
matter, if He’s the One dishing out the pain, the disease, the death?
However, if we recognize
that God is the source of our healing and comfort and joy, then we can turn to
Him and come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy
and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:16)
God is good. (James 1:17)
Even in the midst of
disease, death, pain and sorrow…God is our refuge and strength and ever
present help in time of need (Psalm 46:1)
He is a Good
Shepherd (John 10: 11-18)
He is my Shepherd (Psalm 23)
The
Lord is my shepherd;
I
shall not want.
He
makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He
leads me beside the still waters.
He
restores my soul;
He
leads me in the paths of righteousness
For
His name’s sake.
Yea,
though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I
will fear no evil;
For
You are with me;
Your
rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
You
prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You
anoint my head with oil;
My
cup runs over.
Surely
goodness and mercy shall follow me
All
the days of my life;
And
I will dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever.
Let’s
pray:
Lord
God of all comfort, thank You for Your peace and comfort, and especially that,
for Your children, there are no goodbyes, but a blessed assurance that we will
see each other again, soon.
Thank
you for the love and joy You shared with us so freely, through Your daughters,
Bre & Mary Lee.
This
broken world is better because of You, through them.
Now,
they get to know You fully, completely, now their joy is full.
We
look forward to when we’re promoted to see our loved ones again, and especially
to meet You face to face, at last.
Until
then, thank You for taking care of those we love, better than this world ever
could.
We
trust You, and have settled in our hearts, that You are good.
We
love You.
Forever,
and ever, amen.
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