For Rena, our loved one who is with the Lord,
We believe that “in heaven, God Himself wipes away every tear.
There is no death, or mourning, or crying, or pain.” (Revelation 21.4)
Time has passed since you went to be in the arms of our Lord and
you have no painful memories of this horrific ordeal.
If you have any memory of your injury at all,
You may remember the kindness of caring doctors and nurses,
but not the treatment.
Perhaps you remember the love in our eyes,
but not the sorrow and tears.
You may remember your devoted family watching over you,
but not our pain and fears.
We have regrets— you have none.
We feel cheated— you do not.
We feel crushed— you have been set free in eternity.
We miss you so much— you are perfectly content.
We may have doubts and fears— you are secure your Savior’s arms
wrapped in our prayers, wrapped in our love.
There is no time, no beginning nor end,
no calendars, nor birthdays, or anniversaries there in Eternity.
But on this side, dates and seasons are reminders of joyous times
and times of loss and grief.
We are glad that you were set free from your mortal shell…
But you are loved and missed … Not more today than other days—
But today the calendar makes us face vividly that you are not with us.
Today, this date, reminds us and
we are more keenly aware of mixed feelings:
pain and hope, sadness and comfort, grief and gratitude.
So often the moments continue to come when we just wish you were here—
But we hold to God’s assurance that
One day the Lord, Himself,
will Reunite us in His Glory.
Doug McCulley, Scotch Plains, New Jersey adapted for March 21, 2023