...From Life's First Cry to Final Breath...

Happy Easter!  I'm going to jump ahead a little in the story, because on this day of Christ's resurrection, my mind was frequently on my sweet Joy.  Don't worry, I'll backtrack eventually...

I'll confess that prior to Joy's life and death, I naively (substitute foolishly or stupidly or shortsightedly here if you prefer) never gave much thought to heaven or the afterlife. I was young and healthy and optimistically hoped that I had years to go on this earth. You know - heaven is great for grandmas and grandpas but I was more concerned with the goings on in the here and now!  

Of course, having a child die makes you ponder things like heaven much more seriously.  In theory, I was always grateful for the promise of eternal life, but suddenly it meant so much more. Heaven was no longer a theoretic place for me someday in the distant future, but a promise of a restored body and eternal life for my own child! 

In many ways, parenting and marriage have shown me just how selfish I really am!  But in this particular case, the opposite is true - I am even more glad for God's mercies towards my daughter than for myself.  I'm so thankful for the cross of Jesus Christ in which there is life and hope and restoration for my sweet little girl. (I guess maybe that's selfish too - I feel better knowing that she will be whole and healthy?)

These thoughts are often on my mind whenever I hear teaching on or ponder Christ's glorious gift of eternal life.  Our closing hymn today was one by my favorite songwriters, Keith and Kristyn Getty, "In Christ Alone."  The last verse says:

 "No guilt life, no fear in death - 

  This is the pow'r of Christ in me;

  From life's first cry to final breath, 

  Jesus commands my destiny.

  No pow'r of hell, no scheme of man

  Can ever pluck me from His hand;

  Till he returns or calls me home - 

  Here in the pow'r of Christ I'll stand. "

The line about life's first cry and final breath always gets me - I naturally think of Joy's painfully brief life.  If you happen to look closely at me during church when we sing this song, you might see tears in my eyes during this verse.  But what comfort - every moment of her life; every detail of her destiny, like yours and mine, was commanded by Jesus.  So on this Easter, I am grateful for the power of the cross, which allows me to have no fear in death, whether my own or that of those I love who know and serve the Lord.  Happy Easter indeed!