It’s a difficult time for my immediate and extended families just now.
My mother is very close to death in a Seymour, Indiana hospital.
Thankfully, she’s sedated and is feeling no pain.
After having had a multi-year struggle with diminishing health, this morphine-induced sleep is a blessing that will continue until she wakes up in the presence of the Lord.
I rejoice that I was able to capture a few minutes of her coherency and verbal affection last Thursday during a three-day trip to celebrate my parents’ 65th wedding anniversary.
The remainder of the time with her was a challenge because of her medicated fogginess, but it was still a blessing to be with her and think of the many memories of better days gone by.
A number of you have already walked this path with your parents, so you know what I’m experiencing.
My mother had this same experience with her mother back in 1980.
My children will perhaps be experiencing what I’m experiencing when that time comes 30 or so years from now.
It’s the cycle of life.
This time would be much worse for the family were it not for the certainty of my mom’s reservation in glory. She has been a strong, active Christian since she was a girl and that determined faith permeated the lives of her four children, each of whom are very involved in service to the Lord.
What a legacy this is in a day when so many aging Christian parents see few, if any, of their kids or grandkids attending church.
I’m so grateful that my mom understood the essential nature of faith.
It is that faith that saved her soul and it is that faith that assures her of incredible blessings and rewards in heaven.
She knew then that she couldn’t get to heaven by being good enough.
And for someone as nice as her — I don’t recall her ever bad-mouthing somebody — it’s easy to trust in personal goodness if you believe Satan’s lie that heaven is for the least bad.
She believed in the Bible, though.
She believed that salvation isn’t based on sinning less, but instead on surrendering one’s life to the One who never sinned.
She believed in the truth found in Psalm 108:12, a prayer that recognizes that our saving help only comes from on high.
“Give us aid against the enemy, for human help is worthless.”
Mom knows that human help can do her no good regarding the eternal future of her soul.
I am SO glad that she placed her hope for help into the pierced hands of the Savior who conquered the grave so that believers like my mom might have the same eternal victory.
Please, my friend, put your eternal hopes into Jesus’ pierced hands.
Any other help for eternity is worthless.
As always, I love you
Martin
This is a photo from several years ago…
That is awesome that she was able to leave such a wonderful legacy behind, and be such a shining example of it herself. I wish I had that family heritage, but my mom only believes in “god”, the one who is open to all religions. She grew up attending christian churches, (Lutheran) and had christian parents, but it was not lived out as a faith filled and joy filled life. It was more of “being good people”. My father never really attended church, perhaps when he was married to my mother, but he hasn’t as long as I can remember. But I realize that God can turn that around even though I didn’t have a godly heritage. I have seen God do an awesome work in my son. Waiting to come to KNOW God on a more personal, intimate level…a life-impacting experience with the living God. And for my mother and father and siblings, etc, to open their heart to Jesus, too.
Hello Martin, I know U are in good “Hands” & there are plenty around as u go thru this transition before u’r understanding of u’r lord U knew & trusted her i know u are greatful for her guidance Martin, how fortunate she is for having a family that is lovingly by her side and helping one another thru this change! Take exceptionally good care of yourself, grief & seperation can manefest in ways we may not expect I know Lori & U are strong & will heal quickly xo j
Thanks, Jari. It is thoughtful of you to write with your condolences. Please try to get down for a visit when you can.
This is such a wonderful letter. Thank you, Tonya. I appreciate your thoughts. I hope that you saw the Morning Devotion for Wednesday 5/18. It was inspired into my heart by the Lord and I believe that you will be blessed by it. I’m so glad that you care about faith and I pray that your desire to serve the Lord will grow and grow, as will the fruit for the Kingdom.