Life Goes On - Updated 2/25/2018

Update:
I wrote this post originally on 3/1/2015.  Today is 2/25/2018...and it is now almost 4 years since our son passed into heaven, and today would be his 45th birthday.  Now our grandson is 18, a senior in high school and making plans for his future.  Life does go on. I know that our son Matthew would be so proud of the young man his son Noah is becoming.  Thankfully, Matthew and his wife Nicole laid a strong foundation for their son from the very beginning.  Matthew invested as much love and care and strong Christian values into Noah as he possibly could in the time he was given.   I truly believe in the teaching of Proverbs 22:6 

 "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, 

he will not depart from it."

Noah is the legacy that our son Matthew left behind.  We thank the Lord every day for this dear grandson who is so much like his Dad.   He is pictured here with his grandpa, (my hubby), on the occasion of our older son's wedding this past fall. Noah served as the best man for his uncle, in the place of honor that his dad would have served had he been here.

Original Post 3/1/2015:
The week in review...not sure where this is going...trying to put life in perspective...

Our family, February 2014, celebrating Matthew's 41st birthday together.

My son's birthday was this past week...that is, my son who is in heaven...who would have been 42 years old on this birthday.  (2/25/2015) He was here with us last year for his 41st birthday...Click HERE for more about that time together  ...and then three very short months later, he was ushered into the presence of the Lord...Click HERE for that story.

A "selfie"...me with my grandson. (Feb. 2015)

Recently we were blessed to have our fifteen year old grandson here for a visit..Click HERE for THIS story... and it was indeed a breath of fresh air for us...a time of healing for our family that we all welcomed with open arms. It was as if God sent him to us as a gift...special delivery...straight from the heart of our son in heaven...to comfort us and fill the empty places in our hearts.

This morning I was reading in our devotions the story of Abraham and Isaac, in Genesis 22:1-24. I'm sure you are familiar with this passage...you know the one...where God asks Abraham to "take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah and offer him there as a burnt offering..." (verse 2).  I always found this story to be rather difficult to comprehend...how God could ask a man to sacrifice his ONLY son...and Abraham obeyed God without question.  Thankfully, once God saw that Abraham was obedient to the very point of lifting the knife to slay his son (verse 10), He stopped the whole proceedings and told Abraham not to lay his hand on the lad (verse 11)...and then God provided a substitute sacrifice...a ram caught in the thicket. (verse 13).  Read on to verse 14, where Abraham "called the name of the place "Jehovah Jireh"..meaning 'The Lord Will Provide, as it is said to this day, 'In the mount of the Lord it shall be provided."

God goes on to tell Abraham in the subsequent verses that "because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son...blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies."  Then the next few verses list the names of the descendants of Abraham's family...and we know the rest of history.

This touched my heart today because in a very small way I can relate to Abraham in this story. No, I was not ordered to sacrifice my own son in the way that Abraham was commanded.  However, we did experience some severe testings of our faith where this child was concerned. Click HERE for more about that.  And yes, there were many times that I wondered in my heart exactly what God was doing...but He never failed us.  He always proved Himself to be "Jehovah Jireh", The Lord Will Provide.

And now?  Our life is going on.  We have truly suffered a tremendous loss with the death of our son...but God has not left us without hope or comfort. Through the gift of our grandson, I can almost hear God saying to us as He said to Abraham..."blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven..."    No, I don't expect our grandson to be the father of a great nation...but he is a gift to us from the Lord...and we are most thankful.

Why am I sharing this with you today? Perhaps you have also suffered a great loss...and possibly you are feeling bereft of hope and comfort.  Your situation may be different than mine...but I do know one thing..."Jehovah Jireh"...The Lord will provide.  He knows your need. The void in your heart may be even deeper and harder to fathom...but don't give up.  God WILL provide.

Psalm 116 is an expression of gratitude from one who was redeemed...

Verse 1:  "I love the Lord, because He has heard my voice and my supplications.

Because He has inclined His ear to me,

Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live."

Verse 5-8:  "Gracious is the Lord, and righteous;

Yes, our God is merciful.

The Lord preserves the simple;

I was brought low and He saved me.

Return to your rest, o my soul,

for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.

For You have delivered my soul from death,

my eyes from tears,

and my feet from falling."

Final thoughts from Psalm 116:

Verse 12-15

"What shall I render to the Lord 

for all His benefits toward me?

I will take up the cup of salvation,

and call upon the name of the Lord.

I will pay my vows to the Lord 

now in the presence of all His people.

Precious in the sight of the Lord

is the death of His saints."

Even the death of our wonderful son...

"precious in the sight of the Lord..."

Yes, Lord...I do believe in You...

"Jehovah Jireh"...My Provider.

Amen.