Gospel Prism

I know, you’re probably wondering I will be switching gears. But I must admit, there are times when I will be doing the most random thing and then a thought of Brian will come into my mind. Tonight we had California Rolls (Shua makes it so that we actually wrap our own rolls right at the table) for dinner. The last time we had that for dinner was July 4th, our last evening with Brian. It certainly kept my mind thinking about Brian.

But I also know that I cannot mourn for Brian as one who mourns someone who did not trust in Christ. Puritan pastor Richard Baxter puts it well:

If your friends are in heaven, how unsuitable is it, for you to be overmuch mourning for them, when they are rapt into the highest joys with Christ; and love should teach you to rejoice with them that rejoice, and not to mourn as those that have no hope. 5. You know not what mercy God showed to your friends, in taking them away from the evil to come, you know not what suffering the land or church is falling into; or at least might have fallen upon themselves; nor what sins they might have been tempted to. But you are sure that heaven is better than earth, and that it is far better for them to be with Christ. 6. You always knew that your friends must die; to grieve that they were mortal, is but to grieve that they were but men. 7. If their mortality or death be grievous to you, you should rejoice that they are arrived at the state of immortality, where they must live indeed and die no more. 8. Remember how quickly you must be with them again. The expectation of living on yourselves, is the cause of your excessive grief for the death of friends. If you looked yourselves to die to-morrow, or within a few weeks, you would less grieve that your friends are gone before you. 9. Remember that the world is not for one generation only; others must have our places when we are gone; God will be served by successive generations, and not only by one. 10. If you are Christians indeed, it is the highest of all your desires and hopes to be in heaven; and will you so grieve that your friends are gone thither, where you most desire and hope to be?

Christians indeed do have a great and glorious hope. So I need not grieve that Brian is hurting or in pain. But yes, I do grieve because I have lost someone who was a blessing to me. And so the mourning comes in waves.

But I feel this way, how much more my poor aunt. Her heart I am sure is broken. But I know she fights the good fight of faith. And I also know she believes with Baxter, that it won’t be long till she joins her husband and son with Christ forever and ever. I hope we all can have such assurance.