Laid to Rest

A friend of mine that I worked with for 24 years just lost her husband to a heart attack. My heart is aching for this lovely lady who lives her life for Christ. If mere words could ease her heartache I’d write a book full of them just for her.
This is not the first spouse this lady has seen laid to rest. Only a few short years ago, her first husband lost his life to cancer. We watched and were all amazed when she returned to work, visibly drained, but determined to make the best of a heartbreaking situation. She is an inspiration to all who know her.
After a while her smile returned and the weight finally lifted. Time passed and life was good again. Then she started seeing someone…. and it got even better. Not sure she was making the right decision and listening to everyone whose opinion mattered to her, she hesitated. In the end, she decided to go for it and accepted his proposal. Everyone at work was thrilled for her and glad she’d found happiness and love for a second time when many never seem to find true happiness in marriage no matter how many times they try.
I know the secret to her happiness is her love for the Lord. I never had a conversation with her that she didn’t mention her faith and how the Lord has blessed her. Family members and friends are important to have around to share our grief and help with the difficult decisions, but I know she’ll find her greatest strength in Him.
The following is a poem I wrote a while back and included in my book, Rhymes of the Times. I am dedicating it to my friend and hope it brings a blessing to anyone else who has lost a loved one.
They were sent to us for but a while,
to share our lives, a touch, a smile.
Now the time seems not enough.
We’ll always miss the ones we love.
The only solace we can find,
most important to keep in mind….
Death has freed them from all pain,
and through God’s grace, we’ll meet again.
If they were blind, now they see,
no longer bound like you and me.
All is well and deeply blessed,
who in His love are laid to rest.
Jesus was with His disciples in the place beyond the Jordan. Things in Jerusalem had gotten heated and the Jews had threatened to stone Him if He didn’t answer their questions as to who He was. Soon word came to Him from his friends, Mary and Martha that their brother, Lazarus, whom Jesus loved, was very sick.
Knowing that the illness was intended to glorify God, Jesus stayed where He was for two more days. Finally, He told His disciples that they must return because their friend Lazarus was sleeping and He must go and wake him. The disciples could not believe He was willing to return. “Master,” they said, “the Jews sought to stone you, and you want to go there again? If Lazarus is sleeping, he should be fine.”
Knowing they had misunderstood, Jesus said, “Lazarus is dead. Nevertheless, let us go unto him.”
Thomas said sarcastically to the other disciples, “Let’s also go, so we may die with him.”
Many of the Jews had come to the house of Mary and Martha to comfort them so Martha went to meet Him and told Him, “Lord, if thou had been here, my brother would not have died.”
Then Mary came also to meet him, followed by the Jews. She threw herself at His feet and said to him also, “If only you’d been here, my brother would not have died.”
Seeing her weeping and the Jews also weeping, Jesus groaned in the spirit and was troubled.
John 11: 35 Jesus wept.
Jesus knows the sorrows of losing a loved one to death and it causes Him to weep with us. I think what causes Him to “groan in the spirit” though is the hurt of knowing that so many fail to get the meaning of His words in John 11:25…”I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.”