'A Living Hope'

 

My Dad is no longer here.


It's a month today since he departed from this earth and went home to be with his Lord. It's been an amazing time of reflecting back on memories, and the support and thoughtfulness of so many people has been overwhelming. I'm down Dunedin for all of July to spend time with my mother as we all adjust to life without my Dad. I think I've adjusted fairly quickly to the fact he won't be around any more, having had a good few years while he was battling the illness to be prepared for that reality. Sometimes though, things just hit me again: No longer will we have walks together through the mountains marveling at God's glory revealed in creation. No longer will we sit in the sunshine together and chat for hours and hours about everything under the sun, occasionally savoring a strong brew of fresh plunger coffee and some fresh home-made baking. No longer will we discuss together various passages of Scripture and their implication for our lives. No longer will we work together in the fields or garden, and later retire to the house at the end of the day to enjoy a long cool drink. No longer will I have the privilege of serving in a local church alongside him. No longer will we together laugh or cry, play or talk, sit or work or pray. I think the thing that hits me hardest is the realisation Dad won't be there on my marriage day, when I have children, and those other significant occasions in the future.

But at the end of it all, many of life's circumstances are out of our control. We go through times and seasons, none of which is new at all - everything under the sun has already been seen and done! (Ecclesiastes 1:9, 3:1-8) And the reality is we will all face physical death at the end of it all. And everyone at some point goes through losing loved ones. Our attitude and outlook in the midst of that time is different for each one though. Especially important is our attitude towards God. Will we continue to trust in His character as revealed in the pages of Scripture? Will we draw closer to God or distance ourselves from Him? Will we see these times of hardship and grief as opportunities to actually grow in our character, have our faith refined and strengthened,  increase our dependence on God and prayerfulness, and cultivate an even deeper relationship and love for our Saviour?

Some may say my Dad's death was a bit premature. Perhaps from a human perspective yes it would seem so. But I would point them to Psalm 139:16, where we read "....all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." Notice every day we have on earth is according to God's plan before we even were born. He knows the day our life will start, and the day it will end - it's not a surprise to Him at all. Everything is completely in God's sovereign control. Even the sufferings and hardships we face on this earth. Remember what God used to cause the initial spread of the gospel and early Christianity? He used the persecution of the Jerusalem church! (Acts 8:1,4) And remember what God used to accomplish salvation for people from every tribe and tongue and nation on earth? He used the cruel suffering, abandonment and evil murder of His own precious Son! (Acts 2:23) So God allows and uses all circumstances, good and bad, for His own purposes. Somehow. And we won't fully comprehend how in this life. We just have to trust Him at His own Word. "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28)

Yes I miss my father greatly. We weren't just father and son - but also great companions, friends, and brothers in Christ. I miss his company, wisdom, leadership, sound advice, fellowship, fun, joy, adventurous spirit, contentment, humour, selfless and caring nature, love for God, and example. I miss him. But each time I think about Dad, the Lord reminds me of the intimate fellowship he is sharing with Jesus right now. As Paul says, it isn't just better to be in heaven with Christ, but better by far! (Philippians 1:23) I believe that's true. Do you?  

These words were written by the apostle Peter. They were read at my Dad's funeral:

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 1:3-7)

I'd never fully let their truth and impact sink into my heart, but these last two months, these words have become so incredibly real. We truly have a hope that isn't dead, but living! The death of someone close really makes you more aware and mindful of eternal things. The living hope we as Christians have has been in the forefront of my mind whenever I think about my Dad. It's not a far off, mystical, hopeful hope. It's a concrete, true, certain and sure, completely real, and amazingly incredible hope. And it's given my Mum and I such a great measure of peace and joy, which in human terms doesn't make any sense at all during these sorts of times. A 'living hope'. Think about it. Reflect on it. Meditate on it. Learn more about it in the Bible. Trust in it and let it transform you. I've found that it's given me more of a passion to live every day to the full for God's glory and not my own, as a faithful Servant (still very much a growing process). The question must be asked of each one of us - what are we living for, or rather who are we living for?

Let us not forget, this eternal life with Christ is a sure hope that we can rest everything on. The one who promises this hope is God Himself. And though people may fail and at many times are unfaithful, God will never fail and He will remain forever faithful!