Tuesday, April 5, 2016

Absent from the Body

I Corinthians 15:55-57 (RSV) - “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
This past weekend I attended the ‘home-going’ celebration of life service for a young man whose life was cut in its prime.  One might say that by man’s understanding his life was too short, but by God’s purpose he was right on time.  The life and impact of Joshua far outreaches the number of candles he put upon his last birthday cake.  I and my children are blessed to have known him and his family for quite a few years; maybe not as intensively in his adult years as we knew him as a youngster, but nevertheless his spirit was always one of love, respect and joy. 
We often hear that it is not natural for parents to bury their children; but when we are in an active state of war, many mothers have to place wreaths on the graves of our fallen soldiers.  Well the same can be said for when our children seem to die young.  We are on the battlefield for our Lord and some of our young soldiers are called into headquarters sooner than we might reckon.
 All in all regardless of the battle you struggle to conquer each day, remember to keep the promises of Jesus before you; the praise of his glory in your mouth; the vision of your victory in the brightest corner of your mind and the joy of living in your heart. 
He is at peace now and the legacy of his life is framed around how he loved God, oved his family and lived to serve and encourage others.  The greatest loss in the whole situation is not that his life on earth is gone so soon but that more people did not get a chance to know him and the power of his enthusiasm for life. But that is our job…to tell about Jesus through the testimony of the lives of our loved ones.


Every day is a good day; it is up to us to make it a GREAT day!  Don’t be distracted – stay focused on your purpose.  Be blessed! Dr. JoAnn

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