There was a time not too long ago when a death to cancer would have prompted me to bring out my "theological guns" and shoot vigorously at whatever I could find, but those days are past, I trust. I still believe with all my heart that God's will is to heal the sick: all those oppressed by the devil (Acts 10:38), but with Jettie's death last year my heart has become more able to embrace mystery...
So I will instead write today a brief tribute to my friend, Carol, who now dances with Jesus along with Jettie and many others I love who have graduated into eternity.
I cannot think of anyone who would be more at home in heaven than Carol (her email address, JoySong fits her so well!). Carol loved the manifest presence of God like few I have known. I cannot think of anyone more likely to dance their way into Heaven than Carol! Dance well, JoySong! I know you are indeed dancing well with the One you loved more than life itself!
There are many things I could write about Carol--she is a dear, dear friend. But the thing most on my heart this morning about her, triggered by her passing, is her selfless, caring heart. I find myself today reflecting deeply on Carol's invitation to me a few months ago not to go on this journey with her if my heart couldn't bear it. How amazing it is that when she was facing the greatest challenge of her life, at a time she very much wanted and needed those who love her to be with her, Carol would be thinking of me and how another battle with cancer would affect me! The more I have thought about this today, the more I see how it reflects the core of who Carol is: tender to Papa, sensitive to others, self-effacing to the max and so very, very kind and good! Ah, Papa, I am invited to deeper levels of other-orientation by Carol's life! Thank you for a life well lived!
Well done, JoySong! You lived well, you loved well, you died well, and now you dance better than ever!
Weeping in loss, resting in mystery, rejoicing in hope.
Tom, one of Abba's little boys
3 comments:
My friendship with Carol began just last year, shortly after my dear friend Veronica went to heaven. In that small span of time I really grew to love and appreciate Carol. Thanks for honoring her life in this way.
Tom, one of the blessings of mystery that we both can appreciate is that Jesus has defeated death. While I am still swimming in questions, I have perfect peace in knowing my sovereign Father is ever present, ever vigilant, and ever diligent to hear every cry of my heart. He just isn't obligated to always answer the way I would want Him to. My theological guns have been turned now - I no longer point them at the Lord and fire off His Word in some pitiful attempt to bend His will to mine. Instead, I loose those guns (admittedly at times a bit too harshly) at those who are still desperately fighting against the Father's sovereignty and demanding that He MUST do something because they have latched on to some scripture (that is usually removed from context). Does God still heal? Absolutely!!! Do I still pray for healing? Again, Absolutely!!! I prayed for a man with brain cancer 2 years ago, and he was miraculously healed. Why he was healed and given an extended lease on life while others like Jettie and Kristine are called home (when prayers of equal faith and intensity were offered) remains a mystery. My conclusion is that it is far easier and far less scary for people to have God in a nice little box they can understand and control than it is to truly accept and live for Him as He is. The same God who said He heals ALL disease also said that it is APPOINTED unto man to die, once. The only humans who will escape the certainty of that scripture are those who will be alive at the rapture. Until then, I resolve to live my life like every day is my last day...
Thanks, Ron. I know you speak from a place of experience that you share with me.
I have a different view of God's sovereignty, I think, in that I don't think He appointed Jettie's premature death or anyone else's--I can't love a God like that. Rather His sovereignty takes into account the brokenness of this world and our failures of faith and redeems them to such an extent that it appears as if the terrible death by cancer (or other terrible) were part of His perfect will. Mystery is still involved, of course, but the mystery doesn't shroud a God who "allows" cruel things to happen but who redeems them. Just where I have landed with all of this. One of my earlier blogs addresses this question in more detail. Thanks again for posting though.
Post a Comment