Whenever we lose someone close to us, we not only find it to a be a time of mourning, but a time when we question our faith as well. In our grieving process, we must come to terms with ourselves. Our first question to the Lord is, why? Sadly those who aren't rooted and grounded in the Word of God find it difficult to rationalize the tragedy and out of ignorance have the inclination to blame God. Why God, did You allow this to happen? I am reminded of the story in John chapter Eleven, that Martha met Jesus on the road to Lazurus' house after he had died, when she cried out to Him, "Lord, only if you had been here, he would not have died." Of course, we know the story how Jesus explained to her that Lazarus was sleeping. When Jesus arrived at Lazurus' house, mourners were carrying on in typical Jewish fashion. Jesus wept; not because Lazarus was dead and had been for four days, but because of their unbelief. Before Jesus raised Lazurus from the dead, He said this poignant verse, "I am the resurrection and the life, any man who believes in Me, though he were dead, yet he shall live." We know that Jesus was speaking of the after life, but He raised Lazurus from the dead, so that all that mourned for Lazurus would believe.
No one was any more shocked than I when my daughter informed me by telephone at 1:30 Sunday morning, that our former pastor and co-founder of Living Way Church had passed due to complications from pneumonia. At the time of this writing, I know few details. My wife Meg and I are deeply saddened by the passing of Veronica Reece. Our prayers and condolences go out to Pastor Scott and his family.
Certainly, the passing of Veronica Reece was untimely and completely unexpected. This should remind all of us, that nothing is as uncertain as life. No one knows when their soul is required of them, which is why it is of utmost importance that our salvation above everthing else be secured when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.Knowing Bishop Scott Reece as I do, he is deeply grieved for having his beloved wife and mother of his children taken from him, but he would be the last one to blame God for his loss. I am confident that Bishop Reece will remain unshaken in his faith. During times like these, we can be truly thankful that our Lord has given us the Peace that Passes All Understanding.
Death is something we all are going to have to deal with; for death is part of living. Both spiritually and philosophically, we as Christians have an edge over the non believers in that our faith teaches us that death is not the final episode in the never ending journey through eternity. Right now, we cannot see the broader picture, only images that are conjured up when we were in Sunday School of the City of Golden Streets and the lion lying down with the kid. Just as the caterpillar wraps itself in a cocoon, it has no foretaste of what happens next, only that in the spring, the precipice, the opening of the cocoon and a beautiful butterfly emerges. Death is simply a portal, that allows our spirit to travel from this world which is temporal to that one which is eternal. We can only imagine what it's like on the other side, but one thing is for sure; it will be glorious. We will be able to enjoy our new bodies; ones that don't grow old, get sick, and die, but a new one that will last forever. Being children of the Most High God, we can be thankful that He gave us the opportunity to be born again into His kingdom, through the free gift of eternal life through Him, we will once again meet with our loved ones who have gone on before us. My vivid, God given imagination shows me that now our beloved pastor, friend, mother and sister is sitting at the feet of Jesus, and He is holding her hand and she is grinning ear to ear.
Dan Casey 14 February 2010
No one was any more shocked than I when my daughter informed me by telephone at 1:30 Sunday morning, that our former pastor and co-founder of Living Way Church had passed due to complications from pneumonia. At the time of this writing, I know few details. My wife Meg and I are deeply saddened by the passing of Veronica Reece. Our prayers and condolences go out to Pastor Scott and his family.
Certainly, the passing of Veronica Reece was untimely and completely unexpected. This should remind all of us, that nothing is as uncertain as life. No one knows when their soul is required of them, which is why it is of utmost importance that our salvation above everthing else be secured when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.Knowing Bishop Scott Reece as I do, he is deeply grieved for having his beloved wife and mother of his children taken from him, but he would be the last one to blame God for his loss. I am confident that Bishop Reece will remain unshaken in his faith. During times like these, we can be truly thankful that our Lord has given us the Peace that Passes All Understanding.
Death is something we all are going to have to deal with; for death is part of living. Both spiritually and philosophically, we as Christians have an edge over the non believers in that our faith teaches us that death is not the final episode in the never ending journey through eternity. Right now, we cannot see the broader picture, only images that are conjured up when we were in Sunday School of the City of Golden Streets and the lion lying down with the kid. Just as the caterpillar wraps itself in a cocoon, it has no foretaste of what happens next, only that in the spring, the precipice, the opening of the cocoon and a beautiful butterfly emerges. Death is simply a portal, that allows our spirit to travel from this world which is temporal to that one which is eternal. We can only imagine what it's like on the other side, but one thing is for sure; it will be glorious. We will be able to enjoy our new bodies; ones that don't grow old, get sick, and die, but a new one that will last forever. Being children of the Most High God, we can be thankful that He gave us the opportunity to be born again into His kingdom, through the free gift of eternal life through Him, we will once again meet with our loved ones who have gone on before us. My vivid, God given imagination shows me that now our beloved pastor, friend, mother and sister is sitting at the feet of Jesus, and He is holding her hand and she is grinning ear to ear.
Dan Casey 14 February 2010
