The Passing of My Father

John 14:27
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

The Passing of My Father

I have never known the personal peace, strength and even joy in the midst of such great loss as losing my father, whom I love dearly, but Jesus you have been utterly amazing to the whole family. I have the absolute peace and confidence of where he now lives, not just where his body rests. It has been an amazing journey these last few weeks as I have been with my father to see him pass from life to LIFE. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life, no man comes to the Father except through Me.” That is the path my father followed.
When we know our identity in Christ then we know that it is not in this earthen vessel that is our life, it simply facilitates our soul and the Christ expression in each of us.  When the spirit leaves, it is so evident that the life of the person no longer resides in the body.  It is because of this that when my father took his last breaths in his bed at home, mom and the kids were all there to wave goodbye to his spirit as it ascended to be with the Lord.  “We love you dad!  Say hello to Jesus.  Tell Him that we love Him.”  Peace, that finally dad was struggling no longer and had finally been birthed into the presence of Jesus and heaven.  How encouraging are the words that Paul speaks in 2 Corinthians 5:6-8, “Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. 7We live by faith, not by sight. 8We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.”  Because we understand that the body is a tri-part person made up of body, soul and spirit.  We understand that when we lose the lower stage of our rocket it just causes us to break free from the bonds and boundaries of earth and this lower atmosphere to be propelled into the heavens, where as believers in Christ we have the confidence of residing.
We know that Jesus said in John 11:25-26,  “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”  We know that even now the resurrection and the life abides in us, because Christ abides in us, so even though we die, whoever lives and believes in Jesus will never see death, but goes from life to LIFE.
We have all walked in the knowing of this truth.  With my father, the two to three weeks preceding his passing was like a living memorial life celebration as brothers, children and grandchildren all came to say their good-byes, sharing what my dad had meant to them and in turn his being able to share with them and to speak into the lives of many, exhortation and encouragement.
Usually these are only spoken about the person, but not to the person.  It became evident the impact this seemingly ordinary man had had on so many in such an extraordinary way.  He had been a father to the fatherless, an example, mentor and advisor to so many.  His hard work, love and generosity was seen and recognized by all.  We often don’t realize the true value of our legacy until it is gone from us.  My dad left an inheritance that far outweighs gold and silver and the ripple of his impact will be felt through the generations that follow.  We may not always feel our life is making a great difference, but faithfulness, steadfastness, living your faith and being who you say you are bear greater witness and testimony than we can often imagine.

Blessings,
kent

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