I broke down as the news entered my ears and my heart shattered into hundreds of beautiful pieces. It hurt to breath; it brought pain to think about that one dreadful word, “death.” Between the sobbing and the meltdowns and hugs I forced my brothers to give me, my heart cried, “I am not my own!” I am not my own!? How can it be? Neither was Riley. Riley wasn’t his own, and he wasn’t mine. He was all my friend and a friend to all, and most importantly, he was a friend of His precious Savior.
It’s crazy how much can change in a second, how much beauty can be taken for granted, how many words can go unsaid before a heavy truth falls on our hearts. It’s insane how much you can miss a person when you know you’ll never see them again. Stop to breathe a minute, take it all in, and let it out. With the tears rolling down your cheeks and the impossible feeling that they’re gone, remember that person you’re missing is with their King. Remember, dear ones, that there’s a place to see them again, in our heavenly home.
Death, taunting in it’s tone and definition, defied by our Risen Lord. Death: that word we’re all scared of. No not all; them, the world. They’re scared of it. For the Christian, death realizes the end of this life and the beginning of the next with our good, good Father. I couldn’t say this word for weeks after Riley passed, but now it’s comforting knowing that God is, with every breath we take, preparing us to live with Him. It’s so amazing to me that Riley knew that; and all he ever wanted was to be with the Jesus he loves.
Our God amazes us and He works in mysterious ways. If it is sudden, due to cancer, old age, heart attack, in anyway, God is good. When the world is shaking and your life seems to collapse before your eyes, look to Jesus. When you can’t breathe in the silence, hear God’s voice whispering, “you are not alone.” When you’re ready to argue with the Alpha and Omega, take a step back and remember He is Sovereign. When the floods come rushing over you, cry to your Father, for He will lead you to the Rock that is Higher than you and I. You, His children will never fail. He is on your side. Nothing can take away His unfailing love or the promise of everlasting life. He is forever faithful. Nothing obscures the beautiful reality to come; that reality that all tears shall be wiped from our eyes and we will be united, forever, under our true and precious Lord and Savior, the Conqueror of death, the Giver of love and life, Jesus Christ.
Revelation 21:4 — “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”
Ariel Bosman
Young Calvinists 