I understand to a degree.
Someone who was close and precious to you, left an indelible mark on your life and cannot be forgotten – the loss of that person is seismic. And it appears reassuring to know that beyond the dead that loved one is looking on. That the presence of that loved one can be felt. That there’s a sense in which that loved one is right there with you.
I understand that. To a degree.
As I understand it, however, it doesn’t necessarily mean I wholeheartedly support that.
My parents meant a lot to me. Their love and sacrifice, support and encouragement for me in the first forty years of my life were invaluable. Their deaths close to each other did affect me in a deep and profound way. It still affects me as I traverse the interesting stages family life. The main affect, though, is about the most significant aspect of life that they left me with.
I got the strong impression from both of them that whatever they were going through, they wanted to do right by Jesus because He was the world to them. I never got any sense that anything or anyone mattered to them more than Jesus. So, when they lost loved ones, tragic and mournful though it was, they didn’t look for or find solace in a sense in which the loved one was there. They found solace and comfort, consolation and strength in Jesus.
Their love for Jesus gave them great respect and appreciation for the written Word of God. As it happened, the passion they had for that was something I inherited when I took Jesus seriously, to such a degree that I took Jesus seriously when He talked about being the Resurrection and the Life. I took Him seriously when He overcame death itself to be triumphant and ascend to be at the right hand of the Father. I took Him seriously to be the only source of hope and strength at all times.
When my parents died, I knew Jesus would understand. I knew Jesus would be with me and wait patiently for me as I went through the process. I knew this because I was understanding what it was for Jesus to be all the world to me. Totally consumed by doing what was right in His sight. Totally absorbed with what it means to follow Him in doing mission in every aspect of my life. These were things I learnt almost as if I was learning them afresh. Part of that process was meditating on that wonderful truth that He shared through His friend John that as the sons of God, it did not yet appear what we shall be, but we know when He appears we shall be like Him for we shall see Him as He is. That hope is massive. That hope only gets bigger and bigger the more we dwell on it. That hope puts a lot of things into an eternal perspective. That hope suggests that the goal is not heaven. That hope shows that the reassurance is not about dearly loved dead ones being present with us. That hope assures us that the one who defeated death is the living hope we can turn to in guiding us through every valley, every plain, every mountaintop and everywhere in between.
He guides us because of that great and awesome hope that we shall see Him and be like Him. That hope propels us to purify ourselves even as He is pure. And that purification process helps us to address things that might be idols or compete with the pre-eminence of this beautiful Saviour who alone deserves the highest level of adulation and praise. That purification process enables us to be filled with a desire to connect with others and share this hope with them. This hope pushes the greatest narrative and agenda that should encompass everything we view as important in life.
We shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. Accepting that truth puts so much into perspective and highlights areas where we don’t acknowledge that. Where the world’s efforts at telling you to “get real” make an effort to degrade the wondrous truth. Getting real is not about accepting less than this glorious hope.
Reality is embraced by accepting this glorious hope and nothing else.
For His Name’s Sake
C. L. J. Dryden
Shalom
Life With CD 
There’s a song that encapsulates some of this. A friend of mine wrote this little chorus a long time ago, the melody is still in my head and every so often I’m prompted to share the words with someone. It’s your turn today, Chris!
In your hands are the mountains,
In your hands are the valleys,
In your hands is the journey I’m making;
By your blood you redeemed me,
From myself, set me free.
Now my path, in your hands,
Is the path of victory.
Grace, peace and joy to you as every day unfolds, Chris.
(I hope these comments keep the spacing of the text correct.)
Dear Chris, forgive me for being so late to reply to your kind, gracious and insightful response. Thank you so much for the words – I love it!