Stability In Need

Initial reports indicated ten men were missing, six injured. As more news trickled in and facts were confirmed, there was only one death. For the other families, gratitude was given. For one, grief struck a mother and four children for a father who traveled far to provide for his family.

I can relate to the travel part. Except for a short stint in the army, and a diamond sales career just a tad longer, Beloved Husband spent his life in heavy highway construction. First with local companies, then an international firm. Even the local companies took him out of town on jobs, away from the family during the week, only home on weekends.

Both of us having moved as children, we opted to keep our children in one home, one school and give them stability. Wrong. True stability is the family worshiping together, adjusting to new surroundings when required. This is what life does – it changes around us. God does not. He is the stability through changing places and times.

During our fractured time we lost sight of our relationship with God, letting church attendance slip in favor of "quality" family time. As parents, we felt it was more important for our children to spend time with their father instead of their Father. Wrong, again. That was a big error on our part. Cutting out time with God only creates larger fractures. God provides stability.

As hard as it is to face, God can provide stability in times of loss, too. We are not promised anything here on earth except the natural progression through life that ends in death. The timing is different for everyone, but the end of our earthly story is the same. For loved ones remaining, the next step has been laid out in God’s word.

And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; [John 14:16]

Christ continued:

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. [John 14:26]

Among those remembrances are God’s love for His children. Christ knew that love, gave that love, as no one else could. Yet, returning to the Father was cause for rejoicing, He said in verse 28: "If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father."

That rejoicing is so very hard for those of us remaining here to wait, without our loved one, for God’s will to be accomplished in God’s time. We do have His promises, and the Comforter to help us remember the promises for those who love Him, too.

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. [Romans 8:28]

Remember, Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. [James 1:27]