“That day when the evening came, he [Jesus] said…‘Let us go over to the other side.’ Leaving the crowd behind…they took him along, just as he was, in the boat…A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. He [Jesus]…got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Quiet! Be still!’ Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.” Mark 4:35-29
This past week has been a tumultuous week for the family of one of my best friends. Their mother is like my second mom and I have spent a great amount of time this week recalling the many memories of going to their house. I believe I spent as much time at their home as I did at my own home. If I close my eyes, I can see a teenager bolting up the basement steps to go inside. If I attune my ears, I can hear their mom welcoming me into the house, ‘Hey, darlin.’ I am sure that she called everybody darlin’ but it always seemed reserved for me as a young teen. I can hear her bold laughter which was contagious… even now, I find a smile on my face thinking about her laughter. Her precious husband passed away unexpectantly seven years ago, and the sisters have been caring for her ever since due to dementia. A week ago, she fell and was rushed to the hospital where she has been cared for as the medical professionals try to discover her latest medical challenges. It has been a week of mystery, guesswork and tough decisions for this precious family. Their faith is great but the decisions are rough as they maneuver through the storm. Yesterday, their precious mom was placed in a Hospice House.
The thing about our imagination is that it is a license to write a story that can soothe our hearts. This morning, when I read that Jesus called the disciples to get into the boat to journey to the other side of the water, I couldn’t help but see my friend’s mom climbing over the side of the boat to join Jesus. The seas became rough for her this week, but Jesus has been with her every second of every day. Where we see one person sleeping, Jesus sees her wide awake. Where we see the furious squall of impending passing, Jesus sees the beautiful shore of where they are going. Where we see the chaos of the moment she has been calmed by Jesus with His presence and peace. I’m quite sure that it won’t be long until Jesus stands up in that beautiful moment, and rebukes the physical weaknesses and stills the storm. I’m sure that God is meeting her in her dreams and is quietening the noise around her as they sail into the sunset of her life filled with love, beauty, and fellowship with her family. As we see the small silhouette of her sail crossing the vast chasm between earth and heaven, those on the other side see the same silhouette approaching their shores…and they blow the trumpets and shout for joy! ‘Here she comes, she is on her way home! We must throw a celebration in Heaven that will far exceed the beauty of her life on earth.’
And that is how I choose to picture the next couple weeks as her evening approaches. She is getting ready to arrive on the shores of Heaven with Jesus steering the way. The Lord has assigned the number of her days before this precious soul even took her first breath.
“Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” Psalm 139:16
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