Philippians 4:6-7
Don’t worry about anything;
instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs, and don’t forget to
thank him for his answers. If you do this, you will experience God’s
peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand.
His peace will keep your thoughts and your hearts quiet and at rest as
you trust in Christ Jesus.
The
Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by
permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois
60188. All rights reserved.
I have not written a
devotional in a few days now. On Tuesday morning, January 12th, just
before noon, my mother left this earthly home to be with Jesus. My
“sisters” - Suzanne, Janet, and Suzanne - and I, our beloved cousin,
Janette, and Mom’s husband, Lee, were all with her. Even though she had
been leaving us for several days…when the appointed time came, she
soared away rather abruptly - with little warning, and no fanfare. I
noticed her breathing change and said to my stepsister, Suzanne, who is a
nurse, “I think she is leaving”…and she nodded in agreement. Less than
two minutes later, the gates of Heaven opened, and the angels ushered
my mother into the presence of Jesus Christ – and my dad, brother, and
all of her loved ones who were surely there to greet her.
It must
have been one heckuva party…and I’m more than a little jealous! My
mother’s words echoed in my head as Timothy told me later, “I wish we
could go to heaven, too.” Mother would say, “You will…when it’s time.
But you still have work to do here!” Ever the pragmatist, Mother was
realistic and practical – almost to a fault.
But in her last
days, my mother left me with some parting pearls of wisdom. As I
tearfully held her on the couch one evening, she asked about my
mother-in-law, who just buried her middle son 12 days ago. I told her
she was doing well, and Mother said, “She is a strong woman.” “You are a
strong woman, too,” I reminded her…and she replied, “There’s no other
way to be.” Mother also told me that Greg and I have a lot to
process…and we do…but she insisted that she knew we would be okay – that
we would get through all of this. And thankfully, her last lucid
statement to me was…”I love you so much.” I told her, “I love you, too,
Mommy.” After that, she smiled at me a few times, but she drifted into
a semi-conscious state and waited for her ticket to heaven to be
punched.
The second my mother left us, her face took on a
peaceful appearance. It was unlike any I have ever encountered in my
previous experiences with a death. She was Home…she was whole…and all
was well. The peace that came over me was inexplicable…that “peace that
passes understanding.” But I knew that all truly was well…that God had
once again answered our prayers and fixed the things that we could
not…and that He had given my mother the greatest gift of all…a seat at
Jesus’ feet for all Eternity.
Countless people have commented to
me in recent days about what they perceive as my amazing strength. I
would say to you that none of this is me…and I have had plenty of
“moments” where you would not see one ounce of poise and confidence in
my demeanor. But as much as this passage from Philippians was one of my
mother’s favorites…it is mine, as well. In a profound way, I have
learned to “let go and let God”…to quit worrying…to fear nothing…to
BELIEVE what God has promised, and to let Him meet my needs and comfort
me. And He has…He IS! As my mother said a few days ago, “There’s no
other way to be.”
I also watched my mother comfort and encourage
others in her last days. She smiled at nurses and aides and thanked
them genuinely for their care. She prayed with relatives who came to
say “Good-bye” and charged them to accomplish certain goals in their
lives moving forward. Mother ministered to us as a family and brought
us closer together in many instances. She served God faithfully until
the very last minute.
My question for all of us today is
this…”Will we be able to say the same thing when our ‘ticket’ is
punched?” Is God’s peace keeping your heart and thoughts quiet as you
make your way through the day? When the angels come for you, will you
have accomplished all that God set out for you to complete?
Make
this the day that you figure out what is really important…and what is
just filling your day. Determine what you need to let go of…and what God is
calling you to do with the time you have left - whether it is one day
or decades. Release your worries and fears…and operate in His peace.
There truly is “no other way to be.”
©2016 Debbie Robus
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