I was listening to a podcast this week about parenting. The speaker
was explaining why you need to discipline and train your children, and he
shared this verse. He was making it clear that “training them in righteousness”
is both necessary and urgent. He didn’t yell, cry or repeat himself countless times. He
just stated it and let it sink in. He went on to explain that the point of
training our children isn’t just so that we can have things the way we want
them to be or so that they can impress others with their angelic demeanor. The
purpose of training should be to show them their need for a Savior and to help
them develop the skill of obedience.
So I’m driving down the busy road. My two boys are buckled
up in the back of our minivan watching a movie and snacking on granola bars and
I felt this pit. Death. Their death. I can barely bring myself to type those
words. It goes against everything I feel like I’m designed for. There’s
something so cruel about imagining that for them, physically and spiritually. I
prayed. I pleaded. I begged God to not let them die. I tried to think of every
verse I’ve memorized regarding Christ and salvation and protection.
It’s not that the sermon touched on something new. In fact,
I feel this way rather often. I don’t think I have prayed for them and not
mentioned it to God. We
attempt to teach them God’s Word so that they can have faith and know Jesus for
themselves and to practice wisdom in living. So why was I so overwhelmed by
this statement?
I think it’s because I seem to be more aware of the reality
of death lately. I manage to think about it every day. Somehow it comes up. I can be
telling my son about his grandfathers or taking my pill to help with fertility.
I mean the very computer I’m using now, belonged to my Uncle who passed away last
April. And that’s just the heaviest personal stuff. While scrolling through Facebook or
having conversations, I’m learning about friends losing their spouses or
parents, having miscarriages, or even just trying to extend life by eating
better or exercising because they want to see their grandchildren grow up and they feel the effects of aging. My
husband and I are listening to young men grapple with their friends’ lives
being taken and their Mommas worrying about losing them on the streets. The
news is filled with war, sickness, and crime. I just can’t seem to escape it. And you know, I even feel the need to apologize to you
for being heavy or depressing. I want to change the subject or make a joke to
lighten things up. I don't even want to post this and seem sad.
But something is telling me not to give in to that. Instead, I will just let
that sit. I’m going to take a breath, and acknowledge that this world is full of
pain and tears and death. Ignoring it won’t help. Making light of it won’t
either. But feeling it. Owning up it. That has promise.
Because just like that teacher was saying, I need to
remember that I need a Savior and so does everyone else. What good is it to
hear that, when I don’t really believe I need to be saved from anything? Boy, am
I glad someone told me about him! People took the time to teach me where to
find hope in the brokenness that was so obvious in my life. I wasn't even aware of how much hurt was to come. And you know, I don’t
always weep. Time does allow for healing and surrendering to the fact that I’m
not in control.
“But the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our
Lord.” Yes. Amen. I’m in. Bring on the eternal life. That gives me freedom from
despair. It gives hope and purpose to keep on living. Living full of joy.
Death is heavy. It’s final and sad and here because of sin.
So I won’t just accept it or deal with it. I’m going to cling to the One who
promises life. Death, along with sin, has been defeated. And God is gracious enough to show us that
here too. I’ve gotten to see cancer leave, families being restored because of
forgiveness, addictions no longer controlling a person’s life, crippling fear
being replaced with courage, children being born into families who weren't sure it'd ever happen. How exciting it will be when there will be no more
goodbyes! Go ahead a read 1 Corinthians 15 and let yourself hope even in the brokenness. And tell
someone else about it because that’s news worth hearing.
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