"Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His faithful servants. Truly I am your servant, Lord; I serve you just as my mother did; you have freed me from my chains. I will sacrifice a thank offering to You and call on the name of the Lord." (NIV)
My friend and sister-in-the-Lord, Dawn, died last night. She was diagnosed four months ago with a particularly virulent type of cancer and the disease advanced as predicted. As those who have lived this experience know, it was a roller coaster ride with times that we thought she might be miraculously healed and other times that we could see the course of the disease crashing in on her frail body.
Dawn reminds me of my own mom in some ways. She was thrust into the public limelight through the relationships with her mom and with her husband. Her mother is a well-known Christian country singer in Southern California and Dawn sang with her since being a young girl. When Dawn married, her husband became both a pastor and an evangelist to Native Americans. Their music ministry took them far and wide, including to Ireland and South Africa. But when I think of Dawn, I think most of a woman who was content to be with friends and family, particularly her newest granddaughter. She was a very humble person who never realized the extent of her talent nor the reaches of her love.
She will be missed.
For the past three weeks in our small church, I have stood in the place of our pastor. As he ministered to his wife, first in the hospital and then at home in hospice, I ministered to our little congregation. It has been one of the most difficult assignments God has given me. I knew, without a doubt, that each word I spoke might have vast ramifications for these dear people who were missing Dawn and wanting her back among them. As the family walked through the valley of the shadow of death, so did we from afar. As the Holy Spirit ministered to the family, giving them hope because of eternity, He also ministered to our little congregation. It has been a difficult time and now . . . she is gone.
She will be missed . . . but we will see her again.
Those of us who have put our hope and faith in the Lord Jesus will be reunited again with her in heaven for that is where she is. I can say that without a shadow of a doubt. I know that the Lord is true, that He exists, and that His promises in His Word are faithful. If I had ever had any doubts, I no longer have them. They have been washed away in the fires of grief, been made firm through the pain of loss, and been confirmed by the Lord Himself. It is definitely true that when we walk through the worst times of suffering, the Lord is especially close.
Two weeks ago, as I woke up, the Lord said to me, "Dawn will live." At first, I was overjoyed because I immediately took this to mean that God would miraculously heal her. And then the Lord spoke again. "No, Dawn will live." I knew then exactly what God was saying.
You see, as Christians, we live and then we live!
"For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life" (2 Corinthians 5:1-4 NIV)
We live here temporarily on earth only to finally live eternally in heaven. And it is in heaven that we truly are alive. Among colors that we can’t imagine, tastes beyond this world, and smells that are truly heavenly, we will live forever in a place where death can never touch us again. But more than that, we will live where we will see the Lord Jesus face to face! "For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known" (1 Corinthians 13:12 NIV).
Those of us who are older have learned that life passes more quickly than one can imagine. Only years ago I was a young mother. Now I am an old grandmother. Time goes by in the blink of an eye. And as I age, I become more and more aware that there has to be something more than this. "For who knows what is good for a person in life, during the few and meaningless days they pass through like a shadow?" (Ecclesiastes 6:12a NIV). This life rushes on. I thank the Lord that this is simply preparation for the eternity that lies ahead. I thank the Lord that He will give me a new body that won’t deteriorate as this one is. I thank the Lord that when death separates us from loved ones who are saved, it is no more than a "See you later."
My friend, Dawn, has died to this earth. But she is very much alive in heaven and rejoicing with the saints who have gone before. Most of all, she is being greeted by our Father. "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints." When we are done with all He has asked us to do here, we get to go Home where He is waiting with open arms to welcome us. He wants us Home with Him! What a reunion that is for Dawn right now and what a reunion it will be for all of us who love the Lord and are all called according to His purposes.
My friend, Dawn, has died, but she is living far greater than she ever has before! Thanks be to the Lord Jesus Who is the giver of life.
© 2015 Robin L. O’Hare. All rights reserved. Permission granted for nonprofit and church groups to use this article in its entirety (including this notice). For other uses, please contact servinggodalone@yahoo.com.
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