daily prayer

Good morning! How are we faithing? I went to a Fire Chief's funeral yesterday. Bagpipes, casket on the pumper, all of us standing at attention, saluting etc. such a cool send off for the family. I saw respect and courage, self denial because it was so cold outside! These men in their class A's stood for an hour plus to show their respect to the family. I saw strong men weep. I saw looks of anguish and brotherly love. I saw camaraderie everywhere. It makes you think about alot of things. Was this man saved? Did he know Jesus? Is he in paradise or just in the ground? Will his widow and family ever be the same? Questions that I don't necessarily need to know but they are questions that make us ask ourselves. First;

2 Corinthians 5:6-8
So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord .
NKJV

Luke 23:42-43
Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."
Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."
NIV

The thing to remember is that this man is not encumbered with all those fleshly problems anymore. He is in paradise with the Lord. Being a believer guarantees that. He doesn't have to watch all the junk that the body and presence on earth brings. Isn't that encouraging? No temptation, no pain, no anguish, just peace and freedom from this earthly vessel and the stuff of it. Yes the body is in the grave but we came from the ground and we are made up of the minerals of earth anyways so back our bodies go. We lift the family up to the Lord and ask for comfort because when a loved one departs, it sucks. Even when we know these things about paradise we will miss them. Spouses have it hard and you know why? You've heard it at a zillion weddings;

Mark 10:5-8
"But at the beginning of creation God 'made them male and female.' 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh .' So they are no longer two, but one.
NIV

The other half has departed so the remainder feels lost, like a piece is missing and this why we pray for them and visit and help where we can. And the kids, gee whiz, we need not explain that loss but we must keep telling ourselves that this life is but 70-100 years and then forever continues. I know this may not be to comforting today but remember it for later when you are in anguish.

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for your son that saves us. Thank you for your words that tell us how things are. Lord comfort those hearts that are breaking. Lord show us how to care for those people. Lord we lift the Adams family to you. Bless and hold them. Lord in all we do we want to remember you so lay your comforting hand on our shoulders. Lord thank you for your Word that we can read and learn from for we want to see you, in Jesus name, amen