“… a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.” Ecclesiastes 3:4
March 17, 2023
A minute is not enough time to mourn when your best friend dies. But the emotional lightning bolt struck me when my brother-in-law, Cliff, finished his walk across the golden bridge into his heavenly home. It is a grand gift of God’s grace when your wife’s brother is your brother in Christ. It was a year ago that Cliff and I walked together on the beach at St. Simon’s, past the light house, and through the village. Little did we know that would be our last long walk together. The past year has been filled with chemotherapy, growing weakness, and finally the relief of a quiet death. For the Christian the consequences of death don’t sting, but the sudden relationship vacancy it leaves sure hurts. Grief is a mercy of God telling us that death is a consequence of Adam’s fall in the garden (Rom. 5:12). We live in a groaning world, lest we forget. There are many kinds of grief, but the biggest bruiser is when we are separated from those we love. Life is filled with good-byes but none so emotionally draining as the tears that come with being torn from spiritual soul mates and family. Jesus was no stranger to grief. In His atoning sacrifice for our sins when He bore our griefs and carried our sorrows (Isa. 53:4), His suffering was in our place so that our grief can be filled with hope. His broken, bleeding body made provision for our bodies. That breathless, lifeless body of Cliff, over which our family grieves, is not the end of the story. Our grief is temporary because our hope is eternal. Cliff McClendon has entered into the everlasting joy of no more cancer, chemotherapy, surgeries, helplessness, and pitiful weakness. But best of all, because of the Lord Jesus Christ there is eternal rest.
H
“Father of mercies and God of all comfort, the relief of all our fears and assurance of all our tomorrows are in you alone. I praise you that the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance. Our comfort in Christ knows no bounds.”