Matthew 9:18-26
Matthew's 9th Gospel Chapter,
Jesus was having a crowded,
busy day
as the paralyzed man is lowered
through a roof
While He was saying these things to them,
behold,
a ruler came in and knelt before him, saying,
“My daughter has just died,
but come and lay your hand on her,
and she will live.”
19 And Jesus rose and followed him, with His disciples.
20 And behold, a woman who had suffered
from a discharge of blood for twelve years came up behind him
and
touched the fringe of His garment,
21 for she said to herself, “If I only touch His garment,
I will be made well.”
22 Jesus turned, and seeing her he said,
“Take heart, daughter;
your faith has made you well.”
And instantly the woman was made well.
23 And when Jesus came to the ruler's house
and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion,
He said, “Go away, for the girl is not dead but sleeping.”
And they laughed at him.
But when the crowd had been put outside,
He went in and took her by the hand,
and the girl arose.
26 And the report of this went through all that district.
You can imagine, her parents would examine her to see if she was now healed, just trying to take in this miracle given by Jesus Christ.
Suppose you died. And you went on to your just rewards. Or the Mercy of Jesus Christ! We have all paused to consider our ultimate leaving the planet destination.
And the truth is, if we believe Jesus and His Promises, we want our loved ones to do well with their time on earth. And not to miss us too much, and instead, rejoice in the Promise of Jesus uniting all things.
Hospice tells us the dying will try to pass on when their loved one goes to eat or take a break. Why? We really don't want the people we love to have pain. We would choose to spare those we love the grief and mourning. We would want to do like Jesus Christ in John's Gospel Chapters 14, 15, 16 and 17. To leave the ones we love with the Joy we shared.
In 2008, Edward and I experienced Hurricane Ike outside of Houston. We were losing our baby Isabelle, our daughter, as we waited for her to be born. Hurricane Ike and all Hurricane's change the barometric pressure and pregnancies can come too early. And this happened for our daughter, 3 pounds, who passed on as we reached the Hospital. My water broke and Isabelle's life went on to Jesus and His Promises.
The truth is, it was seriously hard on all of our family to lose Baby Isabelle. My youngest son asked me, age 14 years, "Did God know we wanted Isabelle, we would love her and take really good care of her?"
Edward came to me and he said, "I've always believed, but what is Jesus going to do with such a little baby girl? She doesn't walk yet. Jesus has got to be busy."
And as I went to sleep, the first night, my family had changed the sheets, I had crisp, soft pillows from coming home from the Hospital. I pictured my Step-Grandfather's white, billowing Cassock. The Words of God, "Rest and Trust Me."
Isabelle had the nicest funeral. And even more difficult after a lovely funeral with so many caring families and friends, it was difficult not to burst into tears unexpectedly and to see people hurry to get out of my way during the tears.
Pandemic
Seasons change. We know 7 families who have lost people, like the Rapture, without the sky opening to receive them. 2 have lost young daughters in their early adult years.
What helped? Dreaming of my Aunt Clarice passing on to Heaven. Being outside the Gates of Heaven where Aunt Clarice, age 94, jumped up and down screaming, "Everything in the Bible is Real! I have seen His Promises! ALL TRUE, ALL TRUE! I have Seen Jesus. THIS IS ALL TRUE! ALL TRUE!" And waking up to the phone ringing - Aunt Clarice, no one knew, had passed on. I completed my mother's sentence before she could tell me. Aunt Clarice is in Heaven.
What else Helps?
Matthew 9. Just as Revelation is about Heaven opening up to the day we will all come to see Jesus as Abraham did with the 3 Angels or in fear. Revelation is about our destination.
And Matthew 9 is about Jesus waking us up. The Scriptures say we sleep. And as we awake, we find Jesus.
And we find we are a real, living body
given by God.
Salvation
And as we wake,
we find those we Love.
And we will do as Jairus Daughter did,
we will have a meal, as Jesus did.
is filled
with
Shining Water
Leading to the Throne
and God's Own Home
and Hearth
for our Hearts.
This Post, we have discussed our own passing and we have seen Hospice explain the griefless passing wish.
Let's find a Scripture having the approval of our Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
2 Samuel 12
How then can we say to him the child is dead?
He may do himself some harm.”
19 But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David understood that the child was dead. And David said to his servants, “Is the child dead?” They said, “He is dead.”
20 Then David arose from the earth
and washed and anointed himself
and changed his clothes.
And he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped.
He then went to his own house.
And when he asked, they set food before him, and he ate.
21 Then his servants said to him, “What is this thing that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive; but when the child died, you arose and ate food.”
22 He said, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept, for I said, ‘Who knows whether the Lord will be gracious to me, that the child may live?’ 23 But now he is dead. Why should I fast? Can I bring him back again?
I shall go to him, but he will not return to me.”
David dealt with grief, real work, with complete confidence. James, the Brother of Jesus, had witnessed this himself.
James 1:11
For the sun rises with its scorching heat
and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes.
So also
will the rich man
fade away
in the midst of his pursuits.
Let's be the rich man,
one who Knows and Loves and Believes Jesus
and we will
fade away
in the midst of our pursuits!
Like David has had confidence
Not to give up on pursuits. Finding a Christian, Church Group Therapy group for Grief. Overcoming, in His time, like the time passage in the Prodigal Son.
What else will we pursuit? Goodness and mercy will follow our footsteps.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
Colossians 1:16
For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth,
visible and invisible,
whether thrones or dominions
or rulers or authorities
—all things were created through Him
and for Him.
Revelation 21:23
The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it,
for the glory of God gives it light,
and the Lamb is its lamp.
Abba, Father,
You alone are the LORD.
You made the heavens, even the highest heavens,
and
all their starry hosts,
the earth and all that is on it,
the seas and all that is in them.
You give life to everything,
and the multitudes of Heaven worship you.
You are God of all grace,
You are God of all grace,
calling us to Your glory
in Christ eternal,
with only small suffering,
You will,
with only small suffering,
You will,
Yourself, restore us
and make us strong, firm and steadfast.
Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow, You are for us.
Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow, You are for us.
Cover us, the ones we Love and You Love
with the Strong Name of Jesus.
Covering all of us, the world, You will save in Jesus Christ.
Thank You, Father,
You have given us Jesus Christ
and
Dwell in us,
dwell in those we Love, God of Love.
God of Hope.
God of Encouragement.
Help us to seek You
First
and
we will finish well in Jesus Christ.
We know Your Love, Salvation, Promises
and Blessings.
Thank You.
Knowing we are very Blessed in Jesus. Amen.
♔ Lord Jesus Saves †