My friend, Renee, passed away on Saturday morning after a long illness. She will be missed by her husband and daughter, many family members and hundreds of friends like me.
She was a member of my first congregation. Renee faithfully worshipped the Lord and served His people. She transformed our Sunday school and VBS programs. Excellence is what Renee always strived for.
Some people have this indefinable quality called, for lack of a better descriptive word, "it." Renee had "it." You couldn't help but be drawn to her. I will always remember her warm personality, her beautiful smile and her love for the people around her. People just wanted to be with her. Her leadership skills were unmatched. I doubt you could have had a better friend.
Thanks to Facebook I was able to keep up a little bit with her life. It was a life well lived. Even when she became ill, you just had the sense that Renee would shake it off and resume doing all the things she loved. Even when it appeared the end was near, I had this feeling that God would act and heal her. And God did.
God brought an end to her suffering by calling Renee to His side. Now, she rests, but only for awhile.
In the Third Article of the Apostles' Creed, we confess that we believe in "the resurrection of the dead and the life everlasting." Those words give us great hope, especially when we mourn Renee.
We wait for the Last Day, the day when Jesus will come again - in power and with great glory - to pronounce final judgement of the living and the dead.
Those who confessed Christ Jesus as the only Savior of the world will receive the gift of eternal life. We will also be gifted with new, spiritual bodies, The aches and pains, the illnesses and suffering of this life will never visit us again. We will know God. We will know one another. Offering praise and giving glory to God will be our everlasting joy.
Renee will be missed -- but only for a little while. Jesus is coming soon. And when he does, believers will gather around His throne to offer an endless chorus of praise. Renee should be easy to spot. Look for the woman with the beautiful smile. She'll be looking unto Jesus, the author and perfecter of her faith, the Savior of her soul.
Come, Lord Jesus.
