Death

Yesterday I had one of those days.  My Dad was having a medical procedure performed on him and he became one of the five percent that it goes wrong on.  Luckily my Dad lived through it but there were some scary moments and there is no certainty he will fully recovery although I have faith that he will.

I can remember back when I was 14 years old when my Grandpa died.  He was the first “close” person that I had lost to death.  I was devastated, I could not fathom nor understand what death was.  It scared me so much that I would often lay sleepless worrying that I was going to die.  Over the years this fear has gone away as more people close to me have passed and I’ve grown up to better understand what death is.  As much as it doesn’t make sense…death is a a part of life for everyone, but it is but a step along the way towards eternal life for Christians.

Yesterday as my Mom, and our family sat at Dad’s bedside I had this unbelievable peace about me.  It was a peace that surpassed human understanding.  When I got up this morning I was still at peace.  My sister-in-law had said to my Dad last night as he was talking about dying…”Joe you are in a win/win situation.”  You see our family is a family of Christians.  We all know Dad, Grandpa, Great-Grandpa’s soul will go to a better place when his earthly body dies. We’ve all had our moments, some of you know about my disdain with religion as a young person.  I can remember when the only person in our family who went to church was my Mom. But slowly, one by one we’ve come to the Lord and today all of us profess Jesus as Lord and Saviour.  We are not perfect but the good Lord does not require perfection he simply requires progress.

Although I know the peace I have about this situation comes from the Holy Spirit I also have to believe it comes from the fact that I hold no grudges, resentments or anger towards anyone today, including my family and especially my Dad.  I know if my Dad passes he passes with a clean slate between the two of us.  The slate has been wiped clean through the power of God.  I can’t say it would have always been that way.  Not because of my Dad but because of me.  

The Lord laid it on my heart to write this blog for those who are unable to get beyond the past.  There will be a day that someone close to you will pass on.  Will you be crying tears of joy about salvation or will they be tears of anger over a past that was not resolved?

Over the years I’ve worked with lots of alcoholics and addicts and those unable to experience peace in their lives are the ones still holding onto the past and more times than not it involves another human being.  Today I challenge you to clean the slate with whomever you are still struggling with.  It will not involve any work on the other person’s part.  It begins in your heart and the heart can soften through prayer.   As Jesus is quoted in the book of Mark 11:24-25 “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.  And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive your sins.”

Hmmm “forgive him so that your Father in heaven may forgive your sins.”  Jesus is saying it is difficult to be forgiven until we forgive others.  Being forgiving and being forgiven is where a PEACE that surpasses all understanding comes from.  Make a list of those you still hold anger towards today.  Pray daily for God to give you the willingness to forgive those people on your list, and do this 90 straight days.  At the end of 90 days see how you feel when you think about them, if the anger is still there keep doing it for another 90 days and so on.  If you truly want peace in your life this is an exercise you cannot skip…I write from personal experience.

P.E.A.C.E