We will see you Iluminada

heavens (Photo credit: Mystic Musings...)

There are few experiences in life that have a greater impact on our lives than the loss of a love one. These are the people who occupy our days, our minds and our hearts. So much of our memories are connected with them. While we enjoy their company, the last thing we want to consider is life without them. Then they are gone.

During the holidays, while many celebrate good times and happy moments, others are forced to remember the loss of a love one. In my church two officials loss their Mother, Iluminada, just a few days ago and today is her funeral.

There are no words that can bring her back. There are no words that can take the pain away. She will not be there when they call. She will not answer when when they question. But they have a hope shared by us all. A hope that is real and no man can take away. We know we will see her again.

Jesus said “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”(John 11:25-26) We do believe. We know that while we may pass from this world, the grave will not keep us. It will have to release us to be with Christ. It is with Him that we will be for all eternity. This is the abundant life promised to us. (John 10:10) When we lose a love one, we know that while we will not enjoy their company for a time, it will not be forever. For the time will come when we will all be reunited with our Savior.

Jesus reminds us of this fact in John 14:1-3 when he tells the disciples not to worry, because he was going to prepare a place for them and then He made a great promise. “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.”

Then there will be no more death, no more pain, no more tears no more sickness, and no more suffering. (Revelation 21:4) Paul also explained that we will inherit a new body like that of our Savior Jesus Christ. Therefore those infirmities and handicaps that cause us great discomfort and pain will also be no more. (Philippians 3:21)

Our destiny and the destiny of our love ones, if we die in Christ, is to live for all eternity with our Lord. There remains only one question for us. Are we saved? Should we pass from this world, where is our destination? If there is any doubt, make the sinners prayer now.

A sinners Prayer

“Forgive me God for all my sins, I accept Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior of my life. I recognize His great Sacrifice on the cross. There He gave his life and shed His blood paying the price for my sin. I thank you for saving me in this very moment. I know that now I am your child. I ask that you give me the guidance and the strength that I may remain forever faithful to You and live the rest of my life obedient to your will.

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Grateful for everything I have and everything I am

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. Psalm 136:1

I was still a child when my father asked me, “Why did God make our young so much more helpless in comparison to the young of other animals?” He later explained that being helpless required us to receive much attention and love. What wonderful gifts from God! It takes much more nurturing to raise a human than any other species on the planet. Without proper care what would any of us become? At birth we are incapable of walking, standing or swimming. We come into this world incapable of cleaning, protecting, and feeding ourselves. We would literally die within days if left unattended. Many years after our birth we still need a great deal of attention just to make it through one day without harming ourselves. There are many important principles that my father taught me from this one important fact.

Without the love and nurture of others we are nothing. Without teaching and guidance we would know nothing. Everything we have, everything we can do and everything we know we owe. It should make us the most grateful and loving creatures in the world, no doubt it was God’s plan all along. Yet we often lack this grateful attitude.

Many have noticed an attitude of entitlement, the feeling that something is owed to us, or that everything we’ve gotten was supposed to have been given to us. Therefore, we don’t have to be grateful. But with this attitude we only cheat ourselves of the opportunity of recognizing what others have done for us.

We should be grateful for those loved ones that cared for us and provided throughout the years as well as those significant others who made a difference in our lives.

The biggest difference maker being God, He created us and has made a way for us to succeed. He blessed us with intelligence, talent and countless opportunities to develop them. However an even greater reason to be grateful is God’s love and mercy. While we deserved condemnation for our sins he sent his only begotten son, Jesus, to die on the cross so that we might have eternal life.

He is more than worthy of our gratitude. When we are grateful to God we are able to worship him in spirit and in truth and we are able to see what he has done for us, therefore our faith is strengthened.

An ungrateful life is a sad life where we would be unable to realize the love and care that has so carefully been spent on us. All that we have are gifts and the greatest of these come from God, our lives and our eternal souls.

Let us be grateful this holiday to all who have made a difference and let us lift a mighty praise to our lord and God.