A time to mourn

It is a time to mourn in the Moor family right now, as we have suffered a great loss. My Uncle Dave passed away yesterday, after battling lung cancer for over a year. He will be greatly missed by many, his life touched so many people. He was a loving husband, father, son, uncle, and friend. His smile was contagious, he had a wonderful sense of humor, always one to joke and tease, and he was an incredibly generous man. I am so thankful to have had him for an uncle, he took me to many sporting events with my cousin Ben, and growing up I was at their house a lot, as Ben and I were (are) good friends. There were a lot of good times that were made possible by him. My heart breaks for the family, for my cousin Ben, and his brother and sister and each of their spouses and their children, for my Aunt Virginia, who has been so strong and lovingly served her husband and sacrificed herself for him while he had this illness. Yet I also rejoice, because each one of them has a relationship with Christ; and thus has hope. Titus 2:13-14 says, "our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works." I rejoice that my Uncle Dave had this blessed hope, and is now with his Savior, enjoying his glory, in a state of perfection, where there are no tears, no pain, no suffering, no sin!
People often talk about God and heaven when somebody passes away, often as a way to cope and get through the tough times; however I do not speak of this as a way to cope, or as a "quick fix" way to feel better, I speak of this because this was my uncle's life. Christianity is not something that you can just use at certain times in your life when it makes you feel better, Christianity is a way of life. 2 Timothy 1:12 says, "I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day." When my uncle was on this earth, he knew whom he had believed, and he knew his soul was safe in God's hands, and that changed his life. Dave's family knows whom they have believed, and it changed their life. It's what enabled my Aunt Virginia to persevere, to stay strong, to serve her husband even when it was so hard, and it's what enables her to have hope now, even in a time of grief. It does not make things easy, it is still sad, there is still "a time to mourn", but God's all-sufficient grace enables you to get through the hard times, to come out on the other side a stronger person who is more like Christ, and all the while to have a "blessed hope".
They know whom they have believed. I know whom I have believed. Do you?