| Rest |
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| Written by Charlotte Lofgren | |||
| Sunday, 29 January 2006 06:49 | |||
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Hebrews 4:9-11 NIV "There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience." Hebrews 4:9-11 The Message "The promise of "arrival" and "rest" is still there for God's people. God himself is at rest. And at the end of the journey we'll surely rest with God. So let's keep at it and eventually arrive at the place of rest, not drop out through some sort of disobedience." The past month has been full of travelling and pondering, rushing and working. I have made two emergency visits with my mother--one to her father just before major surgery and one to her foster father, just after the loss of his wife. My mother's father is a gruff old man--the phrase "Pull yourself up by your bootstraps!" was talking about him. He was born poor in Maine, left my mother just after she was born (not to be met again until she was 33), and then made himself a fortune by opening his own car part factory and airport in Marine City, MI. He worked hard every day and even two days before his surgery he was flying a plane to make a delivery. He has everything a person could want in material possessions--his own airport, a beautiful new home, a home in Florida with an indoor pool, yadda yadda--but visiting him made me sad. He's missing so much. He's missing a love that is free of doubt; he has to wonder if people love him or his money. His fear of the Lord is evident in his jokes, and it's not the healthy fear of knowing you have a powerful God who loves you--just fear of judgment and the unknown. My mother asked to pray for him before his surgery and he said, "Well, maybe it's better not to draw God's attention to me!" Funny, but it also made me sad. He is missing rest and peace. He never stops working. I don't think anyone ever just takes his hand and says, "I love you." I am so blessed to have the love and peace of God in my heart, in my life, in my future. The reason we made the sudden trip before his surgery was because my mother has the same thing in her life, and she wants it so much for her father. She wanted to know that she shared her faith with him enough, to tell him one more time that God loves him and wants him to come and rest. My grandfather didn't take an amazing turn in his life. My grandmother (his ex-wife) says he accepted Jesus as a little boy, but grandpa has never said a word. He made it through the surgery, open heart surgery, and is walking around Michigan right now, and I believe he is still wondering about love. My mother's foster parents are the reason I am who I am today. My mother was introduced to Christ through them. Inez, her foster mother, was the one who taught my mother to cook, to clean, to sew, and most importantly, to love. Inez died suddenly of a heart attack last weekend. She and Jerry had just purchased a home in Florida in order to retire, finally, after some 40+ years of ministry, of leading folks to faith in God. At the funeral, every positive virtue was attributed to Inez. Of course we exaggerate in death, but I do know for myself that Inez was real, was humble, and had a trust in the Lord that I like to believe I inherited. I grieve her loss, mostly for her husband and her children, but also some for myself. It's such a strange concept, that one person could teach another everything they know about love, but I think that's really what happened with Inez and my mom. My mom always wanted to be more like her. Inez would have laughed at this. I have peace in her death, peace that she loved the Lord with all her heart. I think that's the only way to have peace about a person's death, to know in your own heart that you can trust them into the loving arms of Christ. I guess the reason I contrast these two experiences so much, is that I feel that God is speaking hope through them. I think there's a reason that Grandpa made it through that surgery. I think he still has more to learn. I think there's a reason that it was okay for Inez to pass; she knew what she needed to know and completed her good work in Christ. It's so full of hope, full of a plan that God promises us, full of the assurance that God wishes no one to perish but all to come to him through his son Jesus Christ. I mourn Inez, even today, but the subtle reassurances that God has given me through these situations gives me hope to continue and courage to reach out and love. The scriptures I quoted above have been a comfort to me, not only in dealing with my grandparents, but also in moving through day to day life. I am currently doing an Internal Medicine rotation. I'm on call every fourth day and I truly despise being away from my home overnight, but I know this is all part of the bargain, part of the bigger plan God has and that there is an eternity awaiting me for rest. Praise be to God for his understanding and his blessings in my life! I hope only that each of you can right now say the same. Love, Charlotte
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