Yesterday I texted back and forth with my daughter in law who was at work. Her Swedish grandmom (Farmor) died on Sunday. Her family is wonderfully close and she and Tom (my son) have had several chances to travel with her parents to Sweden and hang out with her grandparents, and even though for Tom there was a slight language barrier, as Swedish was the spoken word, he managed to communicate with a little help from his friends. This was Rebecka's dad's mom. This is a Christian family who are not only devout Christians, but who have truly dedicated their life to Christ by living and serving through their faith, and exhibiting joy in tough times as well as good times.
The statement that Felix, the daredevil made above about having to go up really high to understand how small you, made me think of life on this earth. We do have to go really high to realize how small we are. For, from a high and heavenly view the things of Earth do grow strangely dim. Farmor has now been called to the heavenly realms. But before she left this earth, Ben, Rebecka's dad, had made his way to Sweden as he knew his mom's health was failing, her body fragile and her time was limited. After spending some time with her, and before leaving to come back home, she asked him to tuck her in tight because she was going to heaven. She died that very night, in peace, and God scattered His very peace on the ones that loved her as well. For she had lived her long and abundant life and and had spread her love for Christ over all she knew. I have not had a chance to meet any of the grandparents in Sweden, for their travel is limited and have not made it to the states in my time, but the stories I have heard of their joy, their love for life, their love for family and their faith are stories of sold our hearts for the Lord.
I saw the video of Felix falling from space, and the wonders of the open sky so far above. Somewhere in realms too great to humanly realize, our God reigns. He reigns over death, he reigns over our trials, he reigns over circumstances and he reigns over us. Death is a hard event to process. On one hand, we as believers, know the blessing of eternal life that is afforded to them by the pure grace of God, but on the other hand, there is a hole of sadness and a forced release of dependance that has to be addressed; for an Earthly chain has been broken and that will take time for God to heal and reconnect. But in that chain we are the very link that must find a way to reconnect and continue to build the faithful support that strengthens all of us.
Rebecka's dad, and mom too, are filled with joy, even in circumstances as these. You ask her dad on any given day how he is and he answers unequivocally that he is blessed. There are blessings about us in any given situation and in our everyday walk, but we must adopt a joyful attitude in seeking them. Felix was right when he said: "Sometimes you have to go up really high to understand how small you are." God sits really high on his throne of authority, and in order for us to even begin to understand how small we really are we have to try to understand how BIg God really is; and there lies the lesson. We merely are specs in a world so grand, but if we truly believe in the Bigness of God, we know that even as specs, we can and are making a difference in His kingdom; for he has transferred his power, his wisdom, his direction and his grace into our lives to make us mighty advocates of his love.
Farmor was one of his faithful disciples, she lived her life on earth in the high places of knowing, serving and loving God; now she gets to be at home with the God of hosts. Her life here will be ever celebrated and her influence will be passed on to generations to come; beginning with her son, her granddaughter and to her great daughter Emma (my granddaughter). Blessed are we who have generations who have gone before us in faithful dedication to our Lord Jesus Christ.
Philippians 3:14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Many of you know this song, it is one that I have loved for years and once I get the refrain stuck in my head it is so hard to let it go, but the words hold so true. If only we turn our eyes upon Jesus, look full in his wonderful face, the things of Earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace.
- Turn Your Eyes upon Jesus | Helen H. Lemmel
- O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There’s light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free!- Refrain:
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.
- Refrain:
- Through death into life everlasting
He passed, and we follow Him there;
O’er us sin no more hath dominion—
For more than conqu’rors we are! - His Word shall not fail you—He promised;
Believe Him, and all will be well:
Then go to a world that is dying,
His perfect salvation to tell!
Dear Lord, How blessed we are to know that you sit on your throne of authority looking down on all of our days. May we seek your face in all circumstances and may the things on this Earth grow pale in comparison to your glory and light. Amen
Praise God wherever you are and whatever situation He has allowed you to be in . . . His glory will shine through!
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