Earlier in the week I received the news that Charlie, the 20-year old grandson of one of my dearest friends, had been killed in a car wreck driving back to KU. This is crushing. Every parent’s nightmare.
Indeed, we hear such terrible stories all the time, but when they hit close to home, it scares us and we wonder if life is just one blow after another until we too die.
But then I was listening to my daily Tim Keller sermon as I rode my stationery bike yesterday and he was talking about 1 John 3:1-3:
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3 All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.
Though we see through a glass darkly, Charlie sees Christ face to face now. We must try to rejoice in that.
Most merciful God, whose wisdom is beyond our understanding: Deal graciously with Charlie’s family in their grief. Surround them with your love, that they may not be overwhelmed by their loss, but have confidence in your goodness, and strength to meet the days to come; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
This week has been a very stressful week at work, compounded by this tragic news. I feel unfocused and on edge. But the weekend is upon us. My boy will be riding once again in the Pedal the Cause bicycle race for cancer survivors. He is two years cancer free.
Have a good weekend. Tell your loved ones you love them. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. (I Thessalonians 5:18)
[The engraving above is Rosa Celeste: by Gustave Doré]
dual personalities 