Proverbs 31:25 She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future.
Proverbs 31:25 always makes me think of my dear friend Millie. When she was in the midst of a fierce battle with breast cancer, I painted a version of the verse to give her strength and comfort. Millie is one of many people dear to me, some of whom have lost hard fought battles with cancer, who have passed on.
Romans 14:8 If we live, it’s to honor the LORD. And if we die, it’s to honor the LORD. So whether we live or die, we belong to the LORD.
For me, saying goodbye to those I love, those who have gone on before me, is not easy. Many years ago I stumbled upon a poem entitled “Gone from My Sight” by Henry Van Dyke, which helped me to better wrap my head around death and Romans 14:8. When loved ones die, they don’t just vanish into the great beyond. They change planes, from an earthly one to a heavenly one. Just as there are those here who grieve their going, there are those there happy to see them again, whom they are happy to see.
Luke 20:38 “So He is the God of the living, not the dead, for they are all alive to Him.”
Lord, Thank You for this day and for a view of death that brings comfort. Thank You for the great cloud of witnesses who have gone before us and who still surround us. Thank You for the assurance that whether we are on earth or in heaven, we are Yours and You are ours. Always. Draw us closer, regardless of our circumstances. Amen.
1 Thess 5:10 Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when He returns, we can live with Him forever.
Have a blessed day.