1 Peter 3:18
For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, through whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built.
We were asked recently from a dear friend what we would want to come out of Tae's death.....
I can tell you what has come out of it....For us, a more intimate understanding of who God is.....a better understanding of death....God gives life and ends life here on this earth....no accidents, no mistakes.....a reminder that we are a part of something much bigger than ourselves....and in that part we can either bring honor to God or we can advance satan's desires......that the peace that passes all understanding is surreal....and unexplainable....that our decision years ago to try to live more purposeful and with no regrets focused on Him was part of our preparation for this time....and the list goes on and on. I seriously think I could write "10,000 Reasons" and more on God's faithfulness during this time. So I know that there are many that just don't quite understand how we have continued on......But with God being so evident all around us.....How could we not?
A small look into one of the many things we have experienced: Sunday at the beach...which was hard at first....I remember praying God just let me find one of her favorite shells. She loved the long, spindle pointy ones..not only did we quickly see one but they just kept appearing! Tae would be excited to find one....rarely did we find two....
We see God everywhere....we did before she died and certainly still do. There are those that would say, "It is all in how you look at the situation. You choose to say it is Him that is doing all of this." Ok, no arguements there... We absolutely do choose to see His incredible hand at work....and He is constantly at work. Just like in the days of old....Abraham, Noah, Joseph....He still is. We can still have daily without ceasing communion with Him....the question is do we choose to? Do we choose to look beyond the trappings of this world and choose to see Him instead?
What we would like others to take-away from Tae's death really has nothing to do about her....although as her parents, we think she's pretty incredible and cannot wait to see that incredibleness beyond the confines of a world in sin.....but rather remember the quickness, the swiftness, the decisivness of her passing.... Remember that death will become of us all....unless we are alive when Chist returns.....each one of us, while we might feel incredibly alive and well, have a time of death already "stamped" on our lives....Are you okay with yours ending right now?
Immediately, our minds go to the physical "security" trappings of this world....but this, but that...Who will take care of my family when I am gone? Who will love on the unloved children and hold them? God will fill in those spaces.....but what about your next step? Is it secure?
I wake up differently than I did before Tae died.... I wake up pondering if today will be my day. It is not from a place of desiring to go on....but rather a desire to live worthy...a desire to live that on that last day, in that last hour....I will have lived worthy. I know my salvation is secure....but my race in this world is still running.....and each moment is one moment closer to the prize.
For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, through whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built.
We were asked recently from a dear friend what we would want to come out of Tae's death.....
I can tell you what has come out of it....For us, a more intimate understanding of who God is.....a better understanding of death....God gives life and ends life here on this earth....no accidents, no mistakes.....a reminder that we are a part of something much bigger than ourselves....and in that part we can either bring honor to God or we can advance satan's desires......that the peace that passes all understanding is surreal....and unexplainable....that our decision years ago to try to live more purposeful and with no regrets focused on Him was part of our preparation for this time....and the list goes on and on. I seriously think I could write "10,000 Reasons" and more on God's faithfulness during this time. So I know that there are many that just don't quite understand how we have continued on......But with God being so evident all around us.....How could we not?
A small look into one of the many things we have experienced: Sunday at the beach...which was hard at first....I remember praying God just let me find one of her favorite shells. She loved the long, spindle pointy ones..not only did we quickly see one but they just kept appearing! Tae would be excited to find one....rarely did we find two....
We see God everywhere....we did before she died and certainly still do. There are those that would say, "It is all in how you look at the situation. You choose to say it is Him that is doing all of this." Ok, no arguements there... We absolutely do choose to see His incredible hand at work....and He is constantly at work. Just like in the days of old....Abraham, Noah, Joseph....He still is. We can still have daily without ceasing communion with Him....the question is do we choose to? Do we choose to look beyond the trappings of this world and choose to see Him instead?
What we would like others to take-away from Tae's death really has nothing to do about her....although as her parents, we think she's pretty incredible and cannot wait to see that incredibleness beyond the confines of a world in sin.....but rather remember the quickness, the swiftness, the decisivness of her passing.... Remember that death will become of us all....unless we are alive when Chist returns.....each one of us, while we might feel incredibly alive and well, have a time of death already "stamped" on our lives....Are you okay with yours ending right now?
Immediately, our minds go to the physical "security" trappings of this world....but this, but that...Who will take care of my family when I am gone? Who will love on the unloved children and hold them? God will fill in those spaces.....but what about your next step? Is it secure?
I wake up differently than I did before Tae died.... I wake up pondering if today will be my day. It is not from a place of desiring to go on....but rather a desire to live worthy...a desire to live that on that last day, in that last hour....I will have lived worthy. I know my salvation is secure....but my race in this world is still running.....and each moment is one moment closer to the prize.
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