Until Then, Dear Friend

Today, I got news that has been anticipated for a while, but it was still shocking enough when it came. A member of our small group passed away this morning. And with his passing, I'm witness to the emotions of people who knew him, those who knew him well and those who were just acquainted. While none of us should have been surprised at the news, there's something about death that is so final to us. And the death of someone we know always reminds us of the brevity of life, even our own. Maybe, especially our own.

Chuck and Nancy joined our group in September of 2009. And it didn't take long for us all to realize that the Lord matches people who are often extremely different than one another. You see, Nancy is a sweet, sincere Godly woman. And Chuck? Well, he wasn't a woman! And Chuck was a character. He could certainly connect at a very deep level with our biblical discussions, sharing freely about his life, even the stuff that most of us like to hide from others. But you could usually count on Chuck to throw in a joke somewhere along the journey. Sometimes, it was an off-color joke. OK, usually it was an off-color joke. But everyone knew Chuck's heart and his deep love for the God who had rescued him from darkness, and his steadfast devotion to the woman who rescued him from loneliness.

You see, Chuck was part of the glue that bound our group together as redemptive community. We are so much more than a bunch of people who have added another church obligation to our calendars. Rather, we are a bunch of broken vessels brought together by the cross of Christ and for His glory. And in His manifold wisdom, He chose to give us Chuck and Nancy, for our edification and for His Kingdom name.

For about a year, the group has tried to deal with Chuck's gradual decline. And we weren’t always the best example of Spirit-empowered community. Honestly, it's difficult to deal with death, even the death of someone whom you know is going into the presence of the King. It's even harder to minister to his wife; death is real and it carries real lose. But I saw glimpses of a true family when some or all of us would get together with Chuck and Nancy on the occasions when he couldn't make it to group.

But today, I had the honor of ministering to the gal who was cutting my hair, someone who had difficulty breathing over the news. And I can see that my wife, the rock, is on the verge of meltdown, empathizing with her friend, Nancy. And I'm sure that there will be other places to minister the Word of Life as the days move forward, for Chuck suffered and died well, a good and faithful servant.

The death of someone we know and love is a time when we should reflect on our own mortality. Should the Lord tarry, and there's every indication that He will, we will all have a last breath like Chuck. He knew that he was dying. But do the rest of us really understand that we all have a similar prognosis? Our days are numbered. Tomorrow, there will be one less, if we even make it to tomorrow. Are we each living as though this could be our last year, month, day, or hour? What will last are not things, but relationships. And I'm not saying that you should spend more time with your family. That's a given. I'm talking about laying up for yourself treasures in Heaven. Do you really believe that we all need a Savior and He is Christ the Lord? Then, who are you telling about Him? And is your sharing done with a true heart of compassion and mercy for those who are perishing?

"Goodbye, dear friend." Or rather, "Until then... And thank you for helping me to grow in faithfulness even as I tried to help you. Tell Jesus I'm following after you and I'm doing all I can to bring some with me." s