Farewell

Twenty six years ago my beautiful sister-in-law breathed her last on earth and immediately after breathed the sweet air of heaven. She had turned twenty two only earlier in the month.

Today another beautiful sister (this time not by blood or law but in Christ) breathed her last on earth and stepped into heaven and breathed its sweet air for the first time and for all eternity.

Both fought a brave battle with cancer and overcame. Not here on earth, but in their souls which will live on throughout eternity. Both faced death with courage and peace and stepped into the presence of their Lord and Saviour.

 
Both left dear ones behind. Husband, parents, siblings, and for the latter, six beautiful children.

We were travelling and had been out of cellphone range when we finally received the news of my friend’s death. It was not unexpected, although we had still held onto hope that even at this late stage God could raise her up and heal her. And while we can be excited that she is now seeing Jesus face-to-face, there is much heartache for those left behind.

A beautiful mother, taken from her six children, never to finish homeschooling or developing and building their character, never to see them finish growing and marry, never to hold grandchildren, where is the sense?

For those who knew her and her convictions and choices there are even more questions but the one that remains for me is the one that asks how does anyone deal with something like this without faith?

For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven ... So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord.  For we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. (2 Corinthians 5:1-8, NKJV)