Worship

Scripture

Three years ago this week, my wife Sarah lost her mom at the end of a long, trying bout with Alzheimers.  As I read Romans 8:23 in today’s passage, I thought of Sarah’s mom as I read Paul speaking of that inward groaning that believers have as we “wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies.“   Our family and friends had a vision that day of that very redemption of Sarah’s mom’s body at the moment of her passing.  Here is the story.

At 2:34 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day, 2019, sitting on lawn chairs and visiting with friends and family after our holiday feast, we photographed an intriguing cloud formation that rose over the Intracoastal Canal at Forked Island [Louisiana].  I don’t recall ever seeing such an eerie array of rolling, gray-bottomed clouds.  The wavy tones looked exotic, as if they were swept by a heavenly air-brush.

And perhaps they were!

We were unaware at the time, but right during the moments that this formation developed overhead, Sarah’s Mom was at the moment of passing at the nursing home 40 miles away.  Sarah got the call  from Hospice with the news about 2:45.  We left immediately to drive to Eunice, but Sarah was filled with regret that she had not been at her Mom’s bedside at the end.  I consoled her as best I could, ensuring her that she had done all she could.  After all, death is but a thief.

And anyway, who has perfect knowledge?  Not me!

But we know who does have perfect knowledge: Sarah had taken photos of this spectacular cloud, so we have photographic evidence that these clouds were not present at 2:00 p.m., and moreover, by 2:45 or so, the sky had cleared.  So unquestionably, the appearance of these clouds coincided very nearly with Sarah’s Mom’s passing moment.

Were those clouds the result of angels’ wings as they ushered Sarah’s Mom to glory, passing overhead where they knew we were, in a manner of farewell since we could not attend her bedside?

We can’t prove this angelic theory.  But we believe it.  Such is the essence of faith!

Prayer

HONOR GOD

At the end of the day, our most satisfying life is when God is most glorified. How can you glorify Him today?

ASK GOD

Healing comes by confession. Ask God to meet you through the confessions of your heart and heal you. What do you need to confess to Him?

SUBMIT TO GOD

Our God is unshakable! Commit your day to Him in reverence and awe!
CLOSING PRAYER
God, thank You for Your mercy and grace. Thank You for Your blood that has paid my ransom. Help me to see sin for what it is and where it leads. I commit myself to Your righteousness even in the places I feel hesitant to lay at Your feet. Your ways are higher, and I trust what You say.  In Jesus Name, Amen.