6 months

It is 6 months ago today that we lost our second-born daughter, Amelia. It doesn't seem that long ago - half a year - only seems like weeks.

Instead of being sad, I am going to try to remember her and rejoice. Rejoice for the fact that she is in heaven.

It will be buying some fresh flowers and placing them in the house in remembrance of her. Fresh flowers always remind me of Amelia. They bring tears to my eyes. After her memorial service, all those beautiful bouquets of color are what lifted my spirits every day. A reminder of life and beauty and what waits beyond the grave.

My heart has had to be shaped these last 6 months. It has had to say, "God, Your will be done." I have had to be okay with God's plans and accept the realities of life. It's hard to surrender to God like that. Especially when it concerns someone so innocent and dear to us. Sometimes God allows a loved one to live life on earth.

But you know what?

God is gracious even when they die. It is difficult to grasp, but the fact that you and I are alive are proof that God's mercies abound. None of us deserve a full, rich life. The number of days I have are a gift straight from heaven.

Death reminds me of the seriousness of sin.

Because of sin, there will always be death, because sin will always bring death whether it is physical or spiritual. It is a byproduct of our fallen nature. We each have chosen to sin and at some point of our lives we are faced with a choice to admit our propensity to do so, or reject the reality of guilt and shame in our hearts. To reject the reality is to not see the value of Christ's death on the cross.

When we do see and turn from our sin, we look to Christ, which is in the opposite direction of where we were headed. We are now on the path to Life.

"For since by man came death, by man (the Lord Jesus Christ) came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive."

Just as rebellion started with one man, Adam, we all have rebelled, through the Lord Jesus we can be freed from the shackles of deadness, both physically and spiritually. When this life is over, all those who have received Jesus as Savior from their sin, or those too teeny to do so, will reign forever with Him in heaven.

It's not a mystery, not a fantasy, not a nice saying, not an empty wish. It is a reality and hope given in the Bible. Remember, hope in itself is not valuable, but what we hope for is:

"Behold I show you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet, for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed...

DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP IN VICTORY. O DEATH, WHERE IS THY STING? O GRAVE, WHERE IS THY VICTORY?

Thanks be to God, which gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

Hallelujah!