No turning back . . .

Genesis 34; Job 1; Mark 5; Romans 5

Obviously, my mind has been preoccupied these days with thoughts of death and with the glorious truths of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This morning, nothing jumps out of the above readings except the reality that Paul describes in Romans 5. I have peace with God because of faith in Christ. My sister is enjoying the fullness of that peace because of her faith in Christ. One day we will dance around the throne of God and celebrate what Jesus has done. Right now she stands before that throne — complete!

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. (Romans 5:1–11)

This is easily personalized and gives me an anchor when I think about this during the waves of grief. My sister and I enjoy the peace of God and stand in grace. Endurance in suffering teaches me that and most certainly she learned it too. Our hope in Him increased and for me is still increasing because His grace is there, even in the worst of times, to give the ability to not only trust Him but show love to others, His love, when we have nothing in ourselves left to give.

It is in this weakness that we are saved, not because we have any strength or ability of our own. In that, we fall short and must willingly face that reality. No excuses, no pride at all or any claim to deserving even the least of His mercies. Yet it is in that humility we begin to understand the marvel of grace.

Being reconciled to God is not something we could ever do. We have no credentials, no valid abilities or reasons. Our sin would condemn us to hell. Yet Jesus took the penalty we deserved and because of Him, we are saved, a total gift from God.

I will see her again. She is not gone in the sense of vanished forever. Instead, she walked through a door, a portal, crossing from here to there. I can imagine her waving over her shoulder but not turning her head. Her eyes are on the great view ahead of her, the glories of heaven and the face of Jesus. No looking back. For this, I can credit the grace of God and the fact of what Jesus has done for us, for the world. May He be honored and blessed for giving us such great hope.