The Brokenness and Beauty of Death…
But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep. Why? That you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.
For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.
Therefore encourage one another with these words.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
I want to encourage you with these words and a song even as I have been encouraged over these last three weeks since my mother-in-law, Mary died. But even as I’m writing this, tears are running down my face. I really miss her and I look forward to the day when we meet again…This will be a GREAT day!
Over the last few days of her life, as family gathered , we would talk about being in the room with her and of imagining how angels were in the room speaking to her and comforting her. In the moment, as I thought about this, I imagined these angels quietly whispering to her, gently reminding her of what was coming. To be honest, I wasn’t completely sure how I felt about that. But a few days after her death, my son in law sent me the song, “RATTLE.“ Over the last few weeks, almost every day as I’ve listened to it, I have been greatly encouraged and challenged. I imagine these are the words and way, in the last few hours of her life, Angels were speaking to her. Not quiet and soft but loud with boldness and strength. They knew she was fighting her last fleshly battle, to stay alive in the flesh. They were reminding her that…
THERE’S ANOTHER MIRACLE HERE IN THIS ROOM!!!
The same miracle that just as years earlier she had been made alive “in Christ” on the inside, she was now experiencing the miracle of what it means to be “Fully made alive in Glory, the resurrected life!”
DRY BONES HEAR THE WORD OF THE LORD
I invite you to listen to this song…but there’s a certain way you need to hear it, REALLY LOUD, you need to feel it!
DRY BONES BEGAN TO RATTLE
As you listen, imagine the first part of this song as if the Angels are introducing her to what is to come and they know she’s going to have some resistance. They tell her a miracle is going to happen. They remind her of the miracle of Christ alive again.
LIVE-LIVE-LIVE
They’re getting louder and bolder as they invite her to live in a way she’s experienced partially in her life, but never fully known.
GOD SAYS LIVE…LIVE…DRY Bones Hear the Word of the LORD
Then, with even more energy and strength, they celebrate with her as she dies her final death and becomes Fully Alive! Jesus came that we might have life, and have it in abundance to the full, till it overflows!
John 10:10
As I’ve listened to this song almost daily over the last few weeks, God has used it to remind me that each day, God invites me to LIVE. Even as I recognize my “Dry Bones” His grace energizes me to remember I have been made alive in Christ. Each day there are real battles where I’m resisting the life He desires for me but maybe His Angels, for sure the Holy Spirit are calling me…to die that I might LIVE. Even though there will come a day like Mary’s last day, until then, God is “steadfast in His love and faithfulness” to invite you and me, in ALL the realities of our lives to LIVE.
Here’s the Good News…Through Jesus, we’ve been declared clean and righteous, cleansed from our impurities and being freed from our heart-idols. Our stony hearts are changed to hearts of flesh that love and long for God. Our new hearts will someday be whole hearts. Because this Good News Energized my Mother-in-law, she consistently engaged in the means of grace…His Word, His Sacraments, Worship, Prayer, Community.
God was faithful to supply all her needs according to His riches. I pray we would all be encouraged and strengthened in our walk with God as we remember Mary’s final walk on this earth.
I hope you will take time to listen LOUD to “RATTLE” and linger LONG…its always good when we hear Angels…Kelley
RATTLE…
