Tomorrow, Saturday afternoon, a Celebration of Life is being held for a dear friend. I admit I am struggling with my thoughts and with making a decision as to whether or not I will attend. Why would I ever think of such a question? Well, it鈥檚 just that I would far rather remember her in the setting of the wonderful times we shared tea, lunch or our daily phone chats. We spoke almost every day; we shared each others鈥� triumphs and struggles and we often spoke of our reliance on and appreciation for the peace that comes from having committed our lives to Christ. I鈥檝e pretty much come to terms over the fact that she鈥檚 gone (until we meet in Heaven); to recall all that I will miss in her physical absence is something else.
My feelings have been just as mixed 鈥� though not nearly as dramatically 鈥� as I鈥檝e been reading through the book of Isaiah in the Old Testament of the Bible. Faced with seemingly overwhelming circumstances, the people either relied on their own perceived strength and were soundly defeated or they asked for God鈥檚 direction and help and were given deliverances from their enemies. They vacillated between joining in some deplorable practices with their neighbours (just one example: the sacrifice of children to pagan gods) or in choosing to follow God鈥檚 instructions.
It鈥檚 like that in our Christian faith, even for those who have made a complete surrender of their lives to Him. Daily we鈥檙e faced with situations that demand we either forget or remember. We are exhorted to do both, albeit in different contexts. 鈥淔orgetting those things that are behind鈥�, tells us that sins and failures confessed are to be left with God and we鈥檙e to learn and move on; but, let鈥檚 always remember 鈥溾�hat the Lord is coming soon.鈥�
