Love and grace

04Mar
Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs." 
-Matthew 19:14 

Indeed we call blessed those who showed endurance. You have heard of the endurance of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful. 
-James 5:11 


Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, reminds us, "Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return." Those words spoken during the distribution of ashes remind us, as if we needed it, that we are mortal. This earthly life is but a temporary part of our journey, one that we each experience differently. It is a life that embodies, among other things, births, deaths, joy, sorrow, challenges, blessings, opportunities, and illnesses.


If we're fortunate, we are born into a loving family, perhaps with siblings. 

In that sense, I was blessed, though, as a child and then as a young person, I took for granted my parents and my four siblings. Ours was just another one of those loving yet dysfunctional families. We were bound together by our genes, yet each of us was our own version of that genetic makeup. As we grew, one of us seemed to have drawn the short straw. This kind, gentle brother had struggles that colored most of his life. Twenty-five years ago, he hit bottom. Fortunately, he accepted the opportunity he was given to put his life back together, and in the process, he reclaimed his faith. He told my sister and me that he wanted to see God again with the faith of a little child. 


Trinity Church ultimately became a solid and important part of his life. All his family, especially his two daughters, are eternally grateful for the spiritual growth he experienced within the Trinity family of faith. We watched him year after year stay true to his renewed purpose in life. He endured like Job, and his kind nature kept him anchored on this new path. 


On January 26th, his earthly journey ended. As we planned his service, we ended it with a blessing, a song by Sam Baker that one of our sisters had heard 

years ago. We had included it in our father's service in 2013, and it has been subsequently used in other family funeral services. Its calming message is soothing and hope-filled that our brother is at peace and "Home." 


Musical Reflection - Go In Peace - Sam Baker


Loving God, may we always remember that your love and grace surround us now and will ever be a part of our journey. Amen.

Grace

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