Oh So Excited: Realising a Dream

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 The dreaming began in the Covid lockdowns of 2020. Living in Melbourne meant that for the majority of the next two years, my family and I spent a large proportion of our time confined to our home. It was one of the strictest and longest lockdowns, with limitations on the amount of time one was allowed to stray outside the home each day. Along with time constraints also came restrictions on how far from home one could go. It was in these challenging times that my daughter Kathryn and I would often take our allotted two hour walks together. As we trod the same old, familiar footpaths and gazed appreciatively at the same old familiar landscapes and neighbourhoods, we would often turn our conversation to our favourite topic: If you could go anywhere, where in the world would you most love to go? Our top dream destination was a Greek Island. We both love sea bathing, and the thought of floating endlessly on the clear blue warm waters of the Mediterranean Sea was most alluring.  Dr...
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God of Hope

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 Today I experienced something that was both deeply saddening, profoundly moving and yet faith reaffirming. I attended the funeral of a little baby boy. While I didn’t know the family well, I felt it right to attend because my son Toby is friends at school with 2 of their sons. I haven’t attended many funerals in my life (2 in fact) and for both of these it was for elderly Grandparents who’d lived a very full life. For this little one, he had lived but 43 days, passing away the day before Father’s Day. 

I can only imagine how great the pain is of those who lose a child. However, in the midst of this pain there was joy and hope; for this family had a hope in Jesus’ saving grace and his promise of eternal life with him in heaven. As the service began, a solo guitarist sang the wonderful Matt Redman song “10,000 Reasons”; a beautiful anthem of praise to our Heavenly Father. As I looked across and saw the Mother quietly mouth the words “Bless the Lord oh my soul” I couldn’t help but be floored by her courage and faith in the face of suffering, and the gentle testament to the sure hope we have Christ.  After a faith-filled opening address by the minister, the solo guitarist began to sing Chris Tomlin’s song “Whom Shall I fear”. The chorus sings “I know who goes before me, I know who stands behind. The God of Angel Armies is always by my side.” It was in these words that I was moved by the sincere declaration of faith that this family has in God. It was a privilege to bear witness. 
In the ministers short sermon, he spoke of how we here on earth want to cling to life, grieving for those who die. Yet, for those who believe in Jesus, life eternal in the presence of God is far more amazing than what earth can hold for us. In God’s good plan, he ordained for this little boy to bypass this earth and all its pain, swiftly coming into the loving arms of Jesus. 
I was so thankful to be reminded of this sure hope. While in theory, I know all this to be true, I have always been afraid of death. Admittedly, the unknown frightens me but also the thought of causing grief to loved ones seems so unbearable. However, my observance of how God’s grace and comfort is very real to those in the midst of grief, it has somehow strengthened my own faith a little more, reminding me of what God can and does do.   
As part of the service, the Father of the little boy, made mention to the fact that his son wanted to be with his Heavenly Father on Father’s Day, and who could compete with that. It reminded me of who our children really belong to. Children are on loan to us, here on earth. It is so easy to forget; to take them for granted and to take life for granted. Life can be fleeting, but it also can be very long. How important it is to treasure them, but hold them lightly. 
The service finished with 43 balloons and 3 doves being released into the air, it was a tangible sign of releasing their child to God. Afterwards, it felt quite surreal coming away from a funeral. Moving on seems disrespectful and somehow counter-intuitive; life seems to slow right down and it seems wrong to speed it up again. For myself, I feel very blessed to have shared in their suffering, to have witnessed their faith and to have had cause to reflect and encounter who God is, what he promises and the hope that is mine. 
Yes indeed! “The one who reigns forever, he is a friend go mine. The God of Angel Armies is always by my side.”

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