A time to every purpose under the heaven
Three sisters sat around a hospital bed reminiscing about their childhood. Their mother lay on the bed listening and at the same time, transitioning from this mortal world and into the spiritual. Of course, they would mourn her passing because they would miss her, but at the moment they were rejoicing in her life and their history with her while growing up. I truly believe that celebrating her life in her presence, is exactly what she needed to hear before her transition was complete. She did not need to see a bunch of tears. She knew (as does the body) that she was dying. I believe she needed to hear what her children thought of her especially reminiscing the good and fun times. She left this world appreciated, encouraged, satisfied, and happy about her life, and her motherhood.
I sat and watched this beautiful scene with tears in my eyes. Like my mom, who was already with Jesus since 2004, and dad in 2007, Charlotte was a wonderful mother who lived a hard but faithful life to her children. As laughter permeated the room it no doubt filtered into the hallway, as passerby's probably thought the three sisters were crazy and insensitive to their mother's passing. One even shut the door. I felt it was like an old Irish wake, celebrating life instead of death. With the last name Kelley, what would we expect? To me, it was biblical. Let me illustrate:
A very wise man once said, "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:" This same wise man also said, among other things, that there was, "A time to be born, and a time to die. . ." – King Solomon [1]
v1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
v2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted... [Ecclesiastes 3:1, 2 KJV]
Charlotte was planted here on earth to guard and take care of God's children. God did a good thing by loaning this woman to the world. I was privileged to marry one of her daughters and I saw so much of Charlotte in her. Thank you, Lord, for giving her to me, even if for just the short time of 42 years. Then she left to travel on her own path. \u2639
So many people generate problems for themselves trying to redeem the time and attempting to dwell in a past season instead of embracing the current time in their life, and if someone wants to go, let them go. At the risk of sounding hypocritical, I am as guilty as the next person. According to King Solomon, the objective is to live through each season, differentiating and working through both the good moments and the bad moments of each current season, and then to move on [2]. Sometimes, it is hard to move, but with Christ at your (my) side, all things are possible [3].
Each season in one's life presents its own challenges, victories, and growth possibilities, and as we live in each moment, we can treat it in such a way as to attain growth in our lives [3]. However, unless God is involved in each season of our lives, then what we are going through and what we are trying to accomplish, is nothing more than a house of cards [4].
Death does not mean the end of things or that it is the end of the road, and it is not something that becomes the past and needs forgetting. On the contrary, shedding this corporeal body is not just a season that ends up in the past and forgotten, but has only moved to our future because one day, we will see them again when Christ comes for our own Spirit [5]. God has a new body waiting for each of us. We were created as spirit first in the image of God [6], and then the body and soul [7]. We will all one day shed our mortal body and revert to whence we were created. . . spirit. Our spirit never dies. We will either spend eternity in heaven or in hell. What is your decision?
So yes Charlotte, we will see you again. Oh, and by the way, I remember the time when we were at your home and . . .
Thank you, Lord, for creating us the way you did, so that we can return to you. Thank you for maintaining this body for me despite my abuse of it over the years. I am in awe of you, Lord in how good you take care of us notwithstanding the mistreatment of our corporeal existence. Even you Lord set the example of death on the Cross. Your mortal body died on the Cross, and yet 500 plus men saw you in your new spirit body [8]. That truth is encouraging to me Lord [9]. Lord, you died to give life to the world. However, because of your redemption, and our salvation through acceptance, we live life to give ourselves and others, once again, death to the world. And so it goes, Lord. It comes full circle back to you that through their acceptance, they can also die to the world. I love your plan Lord. My brother explained it best by saying, 'It is a concentric circle.' With respect and honor I worship and love you Lord. There is none other but you, Lord [10]. In your precious name I pray, AMEN and AMEN.
God is Spirit and He created us in His image [11].
_________________________________________________________
[1] Ecclesiastes 3:1, 2 KJV
[2] Ecclesiastes 11:7, 8
[3] Philippians 4:13
[4] Ecclesiastes 3:11
[5] Psalms 127:1, 2
[6] Ecclesiastes 12:7
[7] John 4:24
[8] Genesis 1:27, 2:7, 2:21:23; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Colossians 1:15; Hebrews 1:3
[9] 1 Corinthians 15:3-8
[10] Deuteronomy 15:3-8
[11] Isaiah 45:5; Acts 4:12
[12] Genesis 1:27, 2:7, 21-23; John 4:24
