“A good man deals graciously and lends; He will guide his affairs with discretion. Surely he will never be shaken; The righteous will be in everlasting remembrance” (Ps 112:5-6, NKJV)
Memories. To remember. To reflect. To be reminded. One of the great blessings of life is reflecting on the lives of those who have gone on to receive their reward. Their memory the Bible tells us is a blessing. "Blessings are laid up for the faithful and their children's children. In the darkest hours of affliction and trial, the light of hope and peace springs up within them, and seasonable relief always turns their mourning into joy. The Lord is their example...they have a settled spirit...their minds are stayed on God...they are calm and undisturbed...their footing firm...their lives are a blessing...Christ in their Head."
“The memory of the righteous is a blessing” (Prov. 10:7). I am reminded of this truth each day as I think of my beloved husband. I am blessed as family and friends share stories in remembrance of the many good things from my his life that touched them in some way, mostly of his love for the Lord. It is a blessing to reflect on the lives of those who have lived righteously and for the LORD. I know many of you reading this today have experienced the loss of a loved one and I am praying for you, as I share your grief and pain. I pray that you are reminded this Christmas as to why Jesus came, of the faithfulness of God in keeping His promises and of His great love for you.
The last days that I had with Randy in July the LORD gave me a vision of Mary at the foot of the cross looking on in great sorrow seeing her son Jesus, suffering and dying...nailed to the cross...for the sake of all mankind. God spoke to me about suffering and giving back to God the gifts He gives to us, for the redemption of the world. Randy was the greatest gift He had given me, aside from my salvation...and I knew that I had to give him back to God for God's Eternal purposes despite my understanding.
Although I do not understand Gods ways, I have been given glimpses into some of these purposes over this past year and over the last 5 months since the LORD has taken him Home. I can only imagine the time when I will be in Heaven and all my questions will be answered and all the LORD has done through this will be revealed...and I am sure it will be astounding. How I ponder today in thinking of Mary, how she must of felt when all things became so very clear to her, when she came to fully understand the work Jesus came to do and because of her suffering in seeing her son on the cross...redemption came and death was defeated.
The Holy Spirit revealed to Mary her baby son's incredible destiny when she handed him over to Simeon in the temple as Simeon spoke of His life "bringing revelation to the Gentiles and glory to Israel". He gives this message to Mary which God desires for us all to understand, the far deeper message of our suffering...that there is no glory that is not brought by suffering. Simeon told Mary how He will be a sign that men reject - Jesus, her son, will suffer and Mary will suffer in her heart, having her own heart pierced. In reading this I am amazed as I read that there is no recording in scripture where she questions this or answers Simeon back...we only know of her silence to God in the matter. How I prayed desiring her spirit as the Holy Spirit reminded me of her horrific grief as I witnessed our own suffering the days before Randy went home to be with the LORD. How we see throughout the life of Mary that each moment was orchestrated by God....that her pure devotion to God meant trusting Him daily, a daily obedience that spoke in her behavior, her behavior always speaking, "anything You say, LORD".
As I reflect back on the most wonderful memories of Christmases in the past, Christmas Eve once again was here and my prayer was that it would be all that the LORD would have for each of our children and grandchildren and extended family. That He would meet each of our hearts greatest needs so specifically and so personal. I knew I could not fulfill the emptiness in my heart or the emptiness that each was feeling nor could I ever fill the gap that Randy left. This would all have to be a working of the Holy Spirit to minister as only He could do. I knew that was impossible with man but was possible with God.
Each Christmas Eve it has always been our tradition as a family to attend our church and worship with the body of Christ, to celebrate the birth of our Savior. Some of my greatest memories were of how Randy loved Christmas, witnessing each year the families whom the LORD would bring as they heard the good news of Christ's coming. He loved seeing the children performing songs and plays, another generation being raised up. He loved the concluding of the service through Christmas hymns and candles lit as God's people gathered preparing their hearts for Jesus' birth. He loved sharing this all with our children and grandchildren.
After the service, we would then returned home with all our children and grandchildren to celebrate the birth of Jesus. This tradition on Christmas Eve brought new pajamas for each, the nativity reenactment by the children through a devotion, and the children singing Happy Birthday to Jesus. One of the biggest highlights for the children was having Papa read from the book of Luke of the story of Jesus' birth, always concluding this time in Christmas songs and lit candles before us all spending the night together in great excitement for what the morning would bring.
Last year on Christmas Eve Randy invited our grandchildren to read various parts of Luke aloud as he was not feeling his best, but also, he wanted them to share the story with him. He sat and gloried, giving thanks to God for their love for the LORD, praying that they would love and serve Him all the days of their lives as he knew there was no other gift he could give them that was more important. Early the next morning, Christmas morning 2017, Randy wrote in his journal "How worthy He is to receive our worship" (pictured above) and this was his heart and encouragement to us through this time as he marveled in the Word of the gift God has to offer us, the indescribable gift of His Son. How he rejoiced in the faithfulness of God. On December 26th, he wrote in his journal a quote by Tozer..."God is God and God is right. He is in control. He will never change"
Now it is our privilege to see our family's painful and great loss as an extraordinary opportunity to pass on and remind others of the Eternal Hope for those struggling with despair in their own troubled circumstances.
Randy's days on earth ended but his life continues through our family, and through the lives he touched and whenever we share his story of how his strength in Christ overcame difficult odds each day. As well as the hope that he lived in - which gave us all strength as he held on strongly to His Savior. The 'good hands' of the Lord rested on him. He lived in reckless abandonment for Christ and always understood beyond his years that circumstances never have to dictate who we are or what we accomplish for God. His love for God, family, friends and the body of Christ which God called him to Shepherd was felt by everyone. His protective and loyal heart, enthusiasm, constant joy, thankful spirit and unconditional love for others marked him as a man who lived each day to the fullest despite anything that came against him and he seen each day as opportunities for ministry no matter who he was with. He understood how to be faithful in the small things and this example he gave back to us all.
I thank you for your love and many prayers this Christmas season and for remembering him with us in so many ways. From where we stand it is our turn to pass along the lessons he left behind.
This Christmas Eve our family gathered once again, with great memories and with shared tears, along with a strong sense to continue in the things showed to us by the LORD through his life. The traditions we had remained the same. The Holy Spirit moved in a great way despite our sadness as we came together to bring "an offering of worship" to our LORD....Yes, "How worthy He is to receive our worship" as Randys words to us last year were prophetic this Christmas Eve as worship was in each of our hearts...regardless of this path God had called us all to walk on. We too gloried in the salvation Randy was given knowing God truly is worthy of our worship as we praised the LORD for providing his glorious and perfect Home in heaven.
As Christians, Christmas is never over as the rest of the world moves on as their celebrations end, as gift exchanges are over and the lights are taken down and the presents are all put away. But as believers we walk in the joy of Christmas celebrating each day because we have experienced the true meaning of why He came.
As we walk forward into the new year how blessed we are to know the Christmas story and apply the truths to our lives that we have been reminded of through the angel, through Zechariah, Mary, the shepherds and through each man and woman that God chose to be apart of this redemptive story. No matter where we find ourselves today...no matter how hopeful or how heavy our circumstance may be.....we too, being "filled with the Holy Spirit" are being used "to turn many...to their God" as John the Baptist did...as Christians do today....and as many of you have done for me and our family through this difficult season...it is a blessing to be used by God to constantly turn others to the Lord.
In Luke we read of the angel saying, "do not fear" but to remember that "the LORD is with us". These words of promise resonate with me greatly where I am today. In places of uncertainty and when sorrow is a constant companion, how we can glory in the hope we have been given that Jesus, the Prince of Peace, is right beside us, comforting and loving us bringing us His peace at all times, through all things.
This peace He brings to me as I remember that "nothing is impossible with God". As we magnify His name we see Him on the throne of our circumstances believing once again in His purposes in what He wants to accomplish through us - through the shattered places that seem like a mess when nothing makes sense but these places are by Divine design and for salvation as it was with Mary. How I love being reminded of how the angel who came and first brought her a Word of comfort as God does with us when we face fearful times...as He always brings forth a Word of assurance when He chooses to use us too. How beautiful to remember that Mary was not a stranger to God. He was going before her, assuring her, that she is the right person...despite the fear that wanted to rise up in her heart regarding the things she did not yet understand. How His Word and the Holy Spirit equips us each step along the way. God had a plan, as He always does, and she had been chosen to be the mother of the Most High... a King whose reign will rule forever and ever. This is such a wonderful picture to each of us of His ways being so much higher than ours and always for His purposes. Whatever He is asking of us, whatever He desires to accomplish through us, wherever we find ourselves this day may we be comforted by these same words, "do not be afraid", for you too have been chosen.
Zecharias filled with the Holy Spirit prophesied in the temple that "the LORD God of Israel has visited and redeemed His people...that we might be saved...that we might serve Him without fear in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our lives". This was Randys prayer for his family and all God's people. Randy gloried in the God of his salvation....and he was an extension of God's mercy grace and peace in my life. I thank Christ who extends this to us all today, and He will do so again tomorrow and again and again...these gifts He offers us are unending.
He came "to bring good news and great joy to all people" and Randy is a part of the "all people" who have experienced new life with the Savior and as he prayed for 'all people' it has given me great comfort to continue in prayer and continue in this work.
I praise God for all He has done in our life, for witnessing His mighty works in the lives of so many and I continue to seek Him for all He has yet to accomplish in and through me. I desire to walk each day joining with the shepherds and worshipping God... "glorifying and praising God for all we have heard and seen".
As we enter into this last week of December and into the new year, may we continually remember, reflect and be reminded of the Christmas message and of the lives God used in the story penned in Luke as well as the memories of the righteous who have gone Home before us....to be an example to us and to bless us. May we take time as Mary did "to ponder these things in our hearts which were told to us by the Lord". How the Christmas message and the lives of each person God chose as instruments in His hands teach us so many things because of their beautiful examples, as they "simply believed". May we remember, reflect and be reminded of the reason Christ came.
I write this today, during this Christmas season with much prayer and God's grace as I remember, reflect and am reminded of my beloved husband, a faithful father, loving Papa and servant of Christ....Thanking the Lord for my greatest teacher who taught me so much in our journey together - through a surrendered servants heart to the Lord - "Your example is Jesus to me - much of my life and our many amazing memories you have given me have been formed through watching you live".
Christmas 2018 ~ "The memory of the righteous shall be a blessing” (Prov. 10:7).
Michelle A. Guerra
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