Does saying “Good Bye” bring sadness to your heart? I’m not talking about wishing someone “good
bye” at work or at school, someone you expect to see again tomorrow. Does it cause you sadness to bid farewell to
someone about whom you truly care, knowing that it may be a long time till you
see them again, if you ever do see them again in this world?
So, how about you? Does saying
“Good Bye” bring sadness to your heart?
I’m sure everyone has left a loved one or friend not knowing if they’ll
see each other again. For example, when
I was 12 our family moved from Massachusetts to Florida. I left behind
grandparents, uncles, aunts, and cousins. We left our church and other good
friends. That move at a young age was somewhat
confusing, if also a new adventure. But
it meant saying “good bye,” and some of those people I cared for I never did
see again.
Perhaps the first time I realized my sadness at saying “good bye” was when
I left home for college. Yes, I left family.
But I also had a strong support system of friends, some of whom were also going
away to college. When would we see each
other again? Would we?
During our marriage, Kathy and I have served churches in four different
cities. In each place and congregation we
loved the people. But, as we followed
the Lord’s call to new churches, we said “good bye” and left behind people we cared
about. One of those moves was 5000 miles
from Florida to Alaska. As we drove across country we visited dear relatives. Every
place we left people cried. It was hard
to be excited about going to our new home.
But, as our family traveled toward God’s new adventure for us, we did
say “good bye” to these loved ones, at least for a time. And, some were
called to heaven before we saw them again.
I think you’re getting the picture.
We are currently in Florida with many members of my family. When we left Alaska in January for Florida we
said “good bye” to our children, our grandchildren, our congregation, and
Alaska friends. I was sad to leave. They probably could have convinced me to
stay. But now that we are leaving Gainesville
to return home again to Alaska, our family and friends in Florida are telling
us they wish we could stay. Saying “good
bye” may seem like a little thing. But
when you care about people it can be sad.
On Tuesday, May 3, because the pastor in our Florida congregation has
COVID, I conducted a funeral for a lady whom I’ve known for over 50 years. Her husband, children and grandchildren, her
brother and nieces said “good bye” to her.
This is a different kind of farewell.
They will not see her again in this life. But . . . THANKS be to God for eternal life
in heaven!
Early in life, as I struggled with saying “good bye”, I came to realize
that “good bye” is just part of life in this sinful world. Because of our sin, and because of the rebellion
against God in the world around us, we live in a world of pain, death, and
suffering. Thankfully, Jesus, the Son of
God, died for our sins and rose to offer eternal life to all through faith in
him. Please consider this good news from
God. For example, during Tuesday’s memorial
service we heard God’s word from Psalm 23.
Verse 6 of that Psalm assures us, “I will dwell in the house of the
LORD forever.” It does not say, “I’ll visit God.” Psalm 23 doesn’t
tell us, “I’ll get to live with God for a short time.” Our Lord assures us “I will dwell in the house of the
LORD forever.”
John 3:16 is great news God shared with Nicodemus. To this searching religious leader Jesus
asserts "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that
whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Life in heaven does not have an
end, as life does in this world. Life
with God is eternal! The readings assigned for worship on May 8
tell of the joy and glory of God’s people in heaven. You might want to read Revelation 7:9-17 on
your own.
Please meditate on this good news.
Life in heaven is everlasting. I
don’t know exactly what relationships will be like in the next life. God knows!
However, I do know from God’s word that
in heaven there is no death. I can spend
time with people I love, and have eternity to return and spend more time, and to
spend more time. I never have to say
“good bye”, sad that I’ll never see that person again. And, even more good
news, in heaven we get to see again those we love, who believe in Jesus, to
whom we have said “good bye” in this life.
That is why Christians can say “good
bye” to loved ones in hope, because in Jesus, God gives eternal life in heaven.
On May 6 and 7 I am attending the 50 year reunion of my 1971 high school
class, a year late because of COVID-19. We
had a big class of over 960 students, and when Kathy and I attended the 45 year
reunion in 2016 there was a list of the 88 classmates who had died before that
event. Some of those were good friends,
people with whom I spent time and with whom I even worshiped our Lord. In the last 6 years more friends have passed
on.
“Good bye” is difficult when you care about
someone. But, God assures us, "For
God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes
in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” For
children of Jesus, “good bye” is not forever.
That is really good Easter news!
A Child of God, Thankful That in Jesus “Good-Bye” is not forever!
Pastor Jonathan
P.S. Kathy and I did host a fish fry for family,
friends, neighbors and others, using the fish I have caught since January. Here are some pictures. https://photos.app.goo.gl/Mnfpc7KpAPp5UKSXA
P.P.S. As we are preparing to leave Florida for
Alaska, our tomato plants are finally bearing.
Here are a couple of pictures. https://photos.app.goo.gl/T1zMknKvtaxyuJgm9
P.P.P.S. I also did
go fishing this past week. On Friday, April 29, I took a last chance to go
shopping / fishing FOR the fish fry. https://photos.app.goo.gl/1zf4hL25XCa9Rw3p9
P.P.P.P.S. Here is the Second Reading
assigned for worship this Sunday, Revelation 7:9-17. Look at how many are in heaven, people there
by the grace of God, the blood of the Lamb.
Look at the comfort and love of God and their everlasting joy! I will be
preaching on this lesson on Sunday.
9 After this I looked and there
before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation,
tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb.
They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. 10
And they cried out in a loud voice: "Salvation belongs to our God, who
sits on the throne, and to the Lamb." 11 All the angels were standing
around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They
fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying:
"Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and
strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!"
13 Then one of the elders asked
me, "These in white robes-- who are they, and where did they come
from?" 14 I answered, "Sir, you know." And he said, "These
are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their
robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 Therefore, "they
are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he
who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them. 16 Never again will they
hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat upon them, nor any
scorching heat. 17 For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their
shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away
every tear from their eyes."
*****
ABOUT
THIS DEVOTION - I retired at the end of August 2019 from serving as senior
pastor of St. John Lutheran Church in Palmer, AK. I was writing a weekly
devotion previously entitled, "Thoughts from the Pastor."
When I retired many asked me to continue writing these devotions. So I
have continued writing. However, with life's changes I now call this
weekly devotion "Journeys Through Life as a Child of God." Since
I am no longer senior pastor at St. John, I felt it right to only send
this message to those who asked to receive it. (Though I am now serving
again part-time at St. John as assistant to the pastor.)
So, if you stopped receiving these devotions and wondered why, now you
understand. And, if you are now receiving these devotions and do not wish
to receive them, please let me know, and I’ll gladly remove your name from my
distribution list. My e-mail address is jonrock53@mtaonline.net.
My
prayer is that these devotions help each of you in your daily walk with our
Lord, Jesus.
*******
Jonathan Rockey
Child of God
Husband, Father, Son, Grandfather
Pastor Emeritus, St. John Lutheran Church
E-Mail: jonrock53@mtaonline.net
“1 John 3:1 How great is the love the
Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that
is what we are!” (1 John 3:1a)
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