Our lives are but a breath

Before our trip to Colorado, a tragic thing happened that sort of rocked our world a bit.   

A good friend was killed in a lawn mower accident.  I spoke with him just a couple of hours before he died.  We grieve the loss, but know that Mark is with the Lord.  God knows just how many breaths each of us will have.  Mark was such a gentle and sweet man.  Let me tell you his story.

Mark was a man transformed by God!  He served in Thailand during the Vietnam war.  He became addicted to heroin and was searching for answers to life's toughest questions in all the wrong places.  A Christian man reached out to Mark and gave him a miniature booklet containing the Scriptures.  The air force decided to send Mark back to the States to undergo drug rehabilitation.  He was so physically ill at this time that he had to be strapped into a stretcher for the plane transport.  A pack of cigarettes in his pocket was all that he was permitted to take with him, but Mark snuck the little Bible booklet in with them.  It was during that flight that his life changed forever.  He pulled out that booklet and read "The thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy:  I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly."  John 10:10  God opened his mind and he realize immediately that he was killing himself slowly.  In total and complete desperation, Mark cried out to God.  "God, if You're there, I need Your help!"  God reached into Mark's life and touched him.  He gave him victory to that battle and blessed Mark with a miracle.  He healed him of that addiction!  By the time his plane landed, the burden of his drug cravings were completely gone and never returned!  Over the course of Mark's life, his relationship with Christ became a deep friendship rooted in trust and love.  He did not live for himself but lived for Jesus.  He served as an elder of our church and was a beloved Sunday School teacher.  He would say to you right now, "Do you know that God loves you?  He saved a guy like me.  He wants to save you too!"

Zephaniah 3:17 New Living Translation (NLT)

 "For the Lord your God is living among you.
    He is a mighty savior.
He will take delight in you with gladness.
    With his love, he will calm all your fears.
    He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.”

As a parent will hold and rock to comfort a distressed child, we pray that Becky and the family will know God's tender arms holding them and comforting them.

Then just a couple of days later Al's cousin, Jane Kaufman, passed away after a brave fight with cancer.

Al's brother sang at the funeral.

Jane's fervent desire was to bring praise to the Lord and for her family to all follow Jesus.  

Her last words were

                                                "Jesus, my resting place."   

Isn't that beautiful?

1 Corinthians 15 is a wonderful passage to ponder on!  This world is not our home, we are just passing through.   We never know when we will take our last breath.  Are you ready?

"Our last breath on earth, our first in heaven!"