She stood before the crowd apologizing for her emotion, through the tears streaming down her face she spoke with clarity and conviction. She was the daughter-in-law of my former classmate who lost his third bout with cancer, just a week before this memorial service. He had started this battle before age 30 and even after a stroke in 1995 he continued to serve others, his last position was counseling inmates at Vacaville Prison, as a Clinical Psychologists until his retirement in 2009. He was given a clean bill of health three months ago, just before he was diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer.
Her emotion was not only because of the loss of her father-in-law but about a month before his death she was able to share the joy of being pregnant again, though she and her husband hoped this time it would not end in a miscarriage. Her hope was clearly spoken as she expressed her faith in Jesus Christ, Lord of all.
Her courage was inspiring as she spoke of her conviction that God was in her life and he would watch over her and her husband even though this second pregnancy had ended in an another miscarriage a week before her father-in-law died.
This is the courage I spoke about Sunday when the two disciples who met Jesus on the road to Emmaus had a choice. They could choose whether to continue running from Jerusalem with their shattered dreams and disappointments or they could turn around and head back to Jerusalem with a new conviction and hope that God was still operating in the world.
We will also be faced with disappointments and shattered dreams. We can also continue to run from the challenges of this world. Or we can seize the hope God gives us in Jesus and strive to be a disciple of courage.
I was inspired at that memorial service. It gave me an example of someone who had suffered emotional distress and experienced the mountain top along with the valley, but continued to place her hope in the sovereign God of the universe. This is the God who not only encourages us, but the God who redeems us and is the foundation for our faith.
If I can offer you anything this day it would be the words of encouragement that “in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8: 28).
Living into the life God has for me with you,
Pastor Randy
