BY DAWN REED
The phone rang in the night.
I tensed. Only one time has good news ever come in the night: to shepherds when Christ was born.
We were not shepherds, and it was four days before Christmas. This was bad news for sure.
I could hear my beloved asking questions as he got out of bed. He finished with, “I’ll be right there.”
A much-loved man in our church had collapsed at home. He was unresponsive. The ambulance was on the way.
My beloved raced to their home—10 miles that took forever along winding country roads. I lay in bed praying for God to help the family, to work, to heal and for His will. (That’s the hard part: praying for the Lord’s will.) “This is not too hard for You,” I whispered.
Three hours later, my beloved returned. Our precious friend, Bobby, had passed away. What a treasure he was! We grieve deeply with his family.
I couldn’t sleep. My heart ached for the new widow and her children. Two of them are in my Sunday School class. My mind jumped from one sad situation to another. My stomach hurt; I felt like throwing up.
Heartache comes, even at Christmas. Trouble, storms, layoffs, death hit all year long. It hurts especially at the holidays.
God is still good, even when life is hard. He still cares, even when we are hurting and don’t feel His presence.
I wonder if this sweet couple had ever talked of death. Had they made plans, discussed what to do, what would happen? People often procrastinate hard conversations. I get it. Who wants to talk about dying when there is so much living to do?
My beloved had his first mini-stroke 23 years ago. I think of losing him every day. I’m not morbid or fretful; just aware of the brevity of life and can’t take any day for granted. I have to trust the Lord. Otherwise, I would be a wreck. I have to believe, daily, that nothing is too hard for Him (Jeremiah 32:27). The Lord is big enough and strong enough to help me through whatever comes (Psalm 23:4). We have made our funeral arrangements and update them periodically.
It is sad to think of death at Christmas, yet that’s an important part of the story. God knew we could not make it to heaven on our own. He knew full well that we are sinners. So, He sent His most precious treasure: His Son, to pay for our sins. I used to think the phrase, “He came to die,” sounded so harsh. It does. That doesn’t make it any less true.
The Baby in the manger on that first Christmas came for us. Mary, Joseph, the angels, and the shepherds marveled at His birth. It was only the beginning. A cross awaited. Every breath, every step marched Him toward Golgotha and the cross.
Bobby was an amazing man who loved God and loved his family. With his last breath, we know he went straight to heaven. We are thankful to have known him and look forward to seeing him again.
Will you be ready when this day comes for you?