PAIN...HOPE

I have such sad news to pass along. We found out today that Roberts dad passed away Monday. We are so sad to have never had the opportunity to love him in person the way we wanted. As we have sought to find comfort for our grieving hearts we have been comforted by scripture. 1Thes.4:13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

Although we must grieve Roberts dad not having hope of seeing him again.We are comforted by hope in Christ and a Just and Sovereign God. Some view verse 13 as a reason we should not mourn at all but I do believe that is wrong. We are mourning with deep sadness and loss that is hard to explain.The tears are flowing and at times are without control but non the less we have hope. I am including the following videos which may seem like strange ones to bring comfort at this time. I am reminded at this time of death that we all deserve to die with no hope and that my sin is ugly and separates me from God. All I have to do is read the ten commandments to see my failings. But...my sin has been forgiven because of the work of Christ on the cross. Please focus on the words in these videos. I hesitated to even post them since they are scenes from the passion of Christ movie. I do feel the intention of the writer and the controversy surrounding this movies release at the time put way to much focus on the role of the Jews in Christs crusifiction and I don't believe that is where the focus should be. Instead it should be on me...my sin is what held him there and my sin is why he died. I am so thankful to Him for the comfort that he brings to us at these times and the assurance that when I die I know I will be with Him in heaven not because I lived good but because He lived perfectly and is my spotless lamb that was sacrificed on my behalf and that brings me eternal hope. Please pray for Robert as we have to make some very hard decisions in the next couple of days.Pray for wisdom and for Gods comforting to be felt in the hearts of Robert...Lauren... and David jr.