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A Special Thanksgiving to the Father (Spurgeon)

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“Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.”
—Colossians 1:12, 13.

In order to excite your gratitude to God the Father, I propose to dilate a little upon this passage. If you will look at the text, you will see two blessings in it. The first has regard to the future. The second blessing, which must go with the first, for indeed it is the cause of the first, the effective cause, has relation to the past. Let us meditate a little upon each of these blessings, and then, in the third place, I will endeavor to show the relation which exists between the two.

I. The first blessing introduced to our notice is this-“God the Father has made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light.”

It is a PRESENT BLESSING.

Not a mercy laid up for us in the covenant, which we have not yet received, but it is a blessing which every true believer already has in his hand.

Ah! this makes the heirs of glory think much of God the Father. When we reflect, my brethren, upon our state by nature, and how fit we are to be fire-brands in the flames of hell-yet to think that we are this night, at this very moment if Jehovah willed it, fit to sweep the golden harps with joyful fingers, that this head is fit this very night to wear the everlasting crown, that these loins are fit to be girded with that fair white robe throughout eternity, I say, this makes us think gratefully of God the Father; this makes us clap our hands with joy, and say, “thanks be unto God the Father, who hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light.”

Do ye not remember the penitent thief? It was but a few minutes before that he had been cursing Christ. I doubt not that he had joined with the other, for it is said, “They that were crucified with him reviled him.” Not one, but both; they did it. And then a gleam of supernatural glory lit up the face of Christ, and the thief saw and believed. And Jesus said unto him, “Verily I say unto thee, this day,” though the sun is setting, “this day shalt thou be with me in Paradise.” No long preparation required, no sweltering in purifying fires. And so shall it be with us. We may have been in Christ Jesus to our own knowledge but three weeks, or we may have been in him for ten years, or threescore years and ten-the date of our conversion makes no difference in our meetness for heaven, in a certain sense.

True indeed the older we grow the more grace we have tasted, the riper we are becoming, and the fitter to be housed in heaven; but that is in another sense of the word,-the Spirit’s meetness which he gives. But with regard to that meetness which the Father gives, I repeat, the blade of corn, the blade of gracious wheat that has just appeared above the surface of conviction, is as fit to be carried up to heaven as the full-grown corn in the ear. The sanctification wherewith we are sanctified by God the Father is not progressive, it Is complete at once, we are now adapted for heaven, now fitted for it, and we shall enter into the joy of our Lord.

Into this subject I might have entered more fully; but I have not time. I am sure I have left some knots untied, and you must untie them if you can yourselves; and let me recommend you to untie them on your knees-the mysteries of the kingdom of God are studied much the best when you are in prayer.

II. The second mercy is A MERCY THAT LOOKS BACK. We sometimes prefer the mercies that look forward, because they unfold such a bright prospect.

It is a PAST BLESSING.

“Sweet fields beyond the swelling flood.”

But here is a mercy that looks backward; turns its back, as it were, on the heaven of our anticipation, and looks back on the gloomy past, and the dangers from which we have escaped. Let us read the account of it-“Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.” This verse is an explanation of the preceding.

Ah! my brethren, what a description have we here of what matter of men we used to be. We were under “the power of darkness.” Since I have been musing on this text, I have turned these words over and over in my mind-“the power of darkness!” We all know that there is a moral darkness which exercises its awful spell over the mind of the sinner. Where God is unacknowledged the mind is void of judgment. Where God is unworshipped the heart of man becomes a ruin. The chambers of that dilapidated heart are haunted by ghostly fears and degraded superstitions.

Now, my brethren, all of us were under this power once. It is but a few months-a few weeks with some of you-since you were under the power of darkness and of sin. Some of you had only got as far as the curiosity of it; others had got as far as the sleepiness of it; a good many of you had got as far as the apathy of it; and I do not know but some of you had got almost to the terror of it. You had so cursed and swore; so yelled ye out your blasphemies, that you seemed to be ripening for hell; but, praised and blessed be the name of the Father, he has “translated you from the power of darkness, into the kingdom of his dear Son.”

But where are we now? Into what place is the believer brought, when he is brought out of the power of darkness? He is brought into the kingdom of God’s dear Son. Into what other kingdom would the Christian desire to be brought? I love to have Christ an absolute monarch in the heart. I do not want to have a doubt about it. I want to give up all my liberty to him. for I feel that I never shall be free till my self-control is all gone; that I shall never have my will truly free till it is bound in the golden fetters of his sweet love. We are brought into a kingdom-he is Lord and Sovereign, and he has made us “kings and priests unto our God,” and we shall reign with him. The proof that we are in this kingdom must consist in our obedience to our King. Here, perhaps, we may raise many causes and questions, but surely we can say after all, though we have offended our King many times, yet our heart is loyal to him. “Oh, thou precious Jesus! we would obey thee, and yield submission to every one of thy laws, our sins are not wilful and beloved sins, but though we fall we can truly say, that we would be holy as thou art holy, our heart is true towards thy statutes; Lord, help us to run in the way of thy commandments.”

So, you see, this mercy which God the Father hath given to us, this second of these present mercies, is, that he hath “translated us out of the power of darkness into the kingdom of his dear Son.” This is the Father’s work. Shall we not love God the Father from this day forth? Will we not give him thanks, and sing our hymns to him, and exalt and triumph in his great name?

What’s the connection between the two verses?

When I get a passage of Scripture to meditate upon, I like, if I can, to see its drift, then I like to examine its various parts, and see if I can understand each separate clause; and then I want to go back again, and see what one clause has to do with another. I looked and looked again at this text, and wondered what connection there could be between the two verses. “Giving thanks unto God the Father, who hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light.” Well, that is right enough; we can see how this is the work of God the Father, to make us meet to go to heaven. But has the next verse, the 13th, anything to do with our meetness?-“Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.”

Well, I looked it over and I said I will read it in this way. I see the 12th verse tells me that the inheritance of heaven is the inheritance of light. Is heaven light? Then I can see my meetness for it as described in the 13th verse.-He hath delivered me from the power of darkness. Is not that the same thing? If I am delivered from the power of darkness, is not that being made meet to dwell in light? If I am now brought out of darkness into light, and am walking in the light, is not that the very meetness which is spoken of in the verse before? Then I read again. It says they are saints. Well, the saints are a people that obey the Son.

Here is my meetness then in the 13th verse, where it says “He hath translated me from the power of darkness into the kingdom of his dear Son.” So that I not only have the light, but the sonship too, for I am in “the kingdom of his dear Son.” But how about the inheritance? Is there anything about that in the 13th verse? It is an inheritance; shall I find anything about a meetness for it there? Yes, I find that I am in the kingdom of his dear Son. How came Christ to have a kingdom? Why, by inheritance. Then it seems I am in his inheritance; and if I am in his inheritance here, then I am meet to be in it above, for I am in it already. I am even now part of it and partner of it, since I am in the kingdom which he inherits from his Father, and therefore there is the meetness.

I do not know whether I have put this plainly enough before you. If you will be kind enough to look at your Bible, I will just recapitulate. You see, heaven is a place of light; when we are brought out of darkness, that, of course, is the meetness for light. It is a place for sons; when we are brought into the kingdom of God’s dear Son, we are of course made sons, so that there is the meetness for it. It is an inheritance; and when we are brought into the inherited kingdom of God’s dear Son, we enjoy the inheritance now, and consequently are fitted to enjoy it for ever.

Having thus shown the connection between these verses, I propose now to close with a few general observations. I like so to expound the Scripture, that we can draw some practical inferences from it. Of course the first inference is this: let us from this night forward never omit God the Father in our praises. I think I have said this already six times over in the sermon. Why I am repeating it so often, is that we may never forget it. Martin Luther said he preached upon justification by faith every day in the week and then the people would not understand. There are some truths, I believe, that need to be said over and over again, either because our silly hearse will not receive, or our treacherous memories will not hold them. Sing, I beseech you, habitually, the praises of the Father in heaven, as you do the praises of the Son hanging upon the cross. Love as truly God, the ever-living God, as you love Jesus the God-man, the Savior who once died for you.

Comments

  1. “Thanksgiving to the Father” that makes my Thanksgiving Day celebration filled with the thoughts of God in my life.
    The exhortation to praise the Father and the Son hanging on the cross for me. Spurgeon proclaims it with a burning fire indwelled by the Holy Spirit. Only in the Word can it be said any better.
    I see the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit in this devotional.
    As in Jhn 14:26 .
    Another point added to my thoughts after reading this. Paul exhorts the corinthians to examine themselves; 2Cr 13:5 That you recognize this about yourself, Christ is indwells your life. He uses a terse contradiction to prove the point. Are you a reprobate? Are you disqualified from the faith? No of course not.
    But do you know that you know in the faith that Christ is in you.
    Paul say’s examine yourself and be sure you know.
    I can tell you how I found out. Jhn 15:26 Go to the Father in heaven and pray. Ask Him to reveal His Son on the Cross of Christ so I get it. God the Holy Spirit will complete a work and answer that prayer. A work so deep and real that if ever asked: Do you recognize that Christ is in you? You know the answer.

    Thanksgiving and praise to the Father and His Son my Jesus and the Holy Spirit today and everyday.

    • Stephen you said…
      I can tell you how I found out. Jhn 15:26 Go to the Father in heaven and pray. Ask Him to reveal His Son on the Cross of Christ so I get it. God the Holy Spirit will complete a work and answer that prayer. A work so deep and real that if ever asked: Do you recognize that Christ is in you? You know the answer.
      ~~~~~~~~

      HUGE AMEN! Thank you so much.

  2. Dear Brothers and Sisters,
    Please pray for my mom. She is in the process of passing away.
    Today is Thanksgiving and I’m so very thankful to be able to be here with her when Jesus takes her home.

    • We are praying Tess. Our dear ones depart their flesh yet they remain in our hearts.

      Rev 21:4, And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
      Rev 21:5, And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
      Rev 21:6, And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
      Rev 21:7, He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

      • Thank you so much Bob! The HS brought these exact scriptures into sharp focus for me while I was working on mom’s memorial video. Dwelling on them and honoring the truth they speak has such power.

        Every time I go to the Word it speaks and ministers in profound ways each time. I can read the same passages today and they will overflow all the more and take on deeper insight each time.

        The WOG is not just text. It is life and breath itself. It delights the soul while it comforts the spirit. It instructs and corrects. It literally takes us by the hand and leads us into paths of righteousness for His names sake.

        Who is like unto our God?

    • Tess,
      Our hearts are knit with yours as you go through this difficult time. We stand in the gap in prayer for you and your dear mother, knowing as Spurgeon said above:”I love to have Christ an absolute monarch in the heart.” and, “Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:” is a present state for all who believe. I remember Jesus words in Jhn 4:4 when he said: ” I must needs go through Samaria”. He said that knowing it was not a place of comfort or a place to be desired or welcomed, but a place of destiny and a place required. How else would he bridge racial and cultural divisions and bring light to a woman in darkness at the well in the middle of the day, and in turn, bring a whole city to himself?

      Tess, this little blog community is like family. I am always so encouraged by yours and others walk with the Master. Please know I am in prayer and intercession for you and your situation and I stand in faith with you, trusting in Father’s love and his Word to us who trust and look continually to his grace and comforting Holy Spirit.

      Faithfully, Breaux Mann

      • Breaux Mann I cannot express how absolutely true a witness your comments are. Thank you SO very much!

    • As you have written in your message, “…Jesus takes her home” This is the comfort your mom has as she passes to the arms of our Lord. You may also take comfort in knowing this.

  3. Dear Tess,

    My prayers are with you and for your mom. A blessed place has the Lord Jesus prepared for each of those who believe in Him.

    May you know the presence of our blessed Saviour and God the Comfortor with you for truly a most wonderful future awaits us each in the Lord.

    In Christ
    Mark H. NZ

    • AMEN Mark! Thank you brother for your prayers and all your comments. There are always HS fingerprints allllll over them and I’m so blessed by God to read them. 🙂

  4. “Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.”
    —Colossians 1:12, 13

    This is indeed a most wonderful scripture and a prayer that we can pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ which gives glory to God the Father.

    I love how the Lord Jesus leads us to do the following as put by Charles Spurgeon also

    ‘When I get a passage of Scripture to meditate upon, I like, if I can, to see its drift, then I like to examine its various parts, and see if I can understand each separate clause; and then I want to go back again, and see what one clause has to do with another.’

    In a similar manner I love how the Holy Spirit takes one to other scriptures to compare truths of scripture with scripture.

    I was lifted up in spirit, soaring as on the wings of an eagle, when the Lord Jesus revealed the following to me;

    …that the Lord Jesus came preaching repetence for the kingdom of God is near. Matthew 4:17,
    Mark 1:14-15.

    What lifted me up to soar was the realisation that the “kingdom of God” that Jesus preached was in fact of He, Jesus Himself and this was revealed to me in the words of Colossians 1:13.

    kingdom of God = kingdom of the Son of His love = the Lord Jesus

    Truly I give thanks to God the Father, who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son. A prayer I recommend that we pray often for our borthers and sisters in Christ.

    In Christ
    Mark H NZ

  5. 1Ti 3:16, And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

    Mark, thank you for this true revelation. Jesus is the righteousness of God, our righteousness for those of us who eat His flesh and drink His blood. Jhn 6:51-56

    2Pe 1:1, Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:

    • The Kingdom of God is not of this world. Jhn 16:1-33, yet we have exceeding great and precious promises. 2Pe 1:4
      In the first comment Stephen exhorts us with Paul to examine ourselves to know that Christ indwells us. As the Kingdom of God is not of this world so too the presence of Christ is not visible yet we can know the change, the peace and evidences of His presence in us. As the Bible is Divine instruction things of the Spirit are witnessed throughout. 1Cr 10:1-4

      The Word was made flesh. Eating the flesh then is believing Jesus. We consume Him, His Word, we take Him into our heart. The life of all flesh is the blood. The blood of the everlasting covenant is fulfillment of the promise of God, the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. Jesus is the Kingdom, everlasting life

      Mat 19:29

      And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.
      Jhn 3:16, Jhn 3:36, Jhn 4:14, Jhn 5:24, Jhn 6:27, Jhn 6:40, Jhn 6:47

      • How is the mind of Christ revealed but through His Spirit, His Word.
        This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.

        Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
        Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
        For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
        He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.
        As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.
        This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever. Jhn 6:53-58
        Jhn 6:60-71

  6. I again, sense the beauty of His grace ( unmerited favor) in making us fit, ready, prepared, able, meet, qualified, to partake in the beautiful inheritance of his people, the saints in light.

    This is a marvelous condition when we become cognizant that there is nothing to “DO” on our part aside from “believing” in the one who shed his blood on Calvary for our sins, and, the sins of the world. No, the “work” has already been done. His words from the cross were: “It is finished” Jhn 19:30 What does one do when he is finished working? He “Sits down”. And Christ is seated at the right hand of the father (position of honor) Eph 1:20, where we too, are positionally co-located with him Eph 2:6. As Stephen pointed out in the first comment, we are filled with his spirit,1Cr 3:16, the spirit of truth, Jhn 14:17,Jhn 15:26, Jhn 16:13, the spirit living God. We are empowered over darkness, wickedness, all evil and demonic entities. We are delivered or rescued from the power (exousia)of darkness. This can be physical or mental power, or, the power of authority (influence) and of right (privilege).

    This awareness of who we actually are in Christ is absolutely amazing once we see it and begin to live in who Christ says we are, as declared by his word. I pray we would walk in the light he has imparted to us through reading, understanding and living out his word and precious truths.

    • Well said Breauxmann, Amen. I proclaim the cross of Christ in every thing I do. I sort of get the deer in the head lights look from brethren at times. Those living as unbelievers claim to know but how could they. I’m not sure if brethren think I need to focus on something more exegetically sofisticated or are not sure what I’m talking about. I spent years stuck in a 2 Timothy 3:7 mode. Wondering studying praying participating involved in fellowship but not really “knowing” that I was connected. Even though I’m sure I was saved. It was not until my life changed at the cross of Christ. that 1 Timothy 2:4 made sense to me. And every Bible verse I read looked differnt than before. The Bible verses were alive and powerful to me personally. Jesus became my personal Lord and my God.
      This experience was a number of years ago but the light doesn’t dim and the fire doesn’t cool and the life of Christ is all powerful.
      A person asked me, “how do you go to the cross?” I answer: It starts with a prayer. I learned that I can study and try for years and not actually understand it. I know that I can’t change anyone elses life. I can point to the cross and proclaim the cross. I also understand that there are many who know personally what I’m jumping up and down about. And approach the subject differently. And that’s fine but I can’t not proclaim; Jesus is Lord and and He met me at the Cross. You see I think in fellowship or evangelism when I speak about Jesus and the Bible I will always run to the Cross from any topic.

      • Maybe to be sophisticated I should be able to spell it. It proves anyone can go to the Cross of Christ and receive new life in Christ.

        • We all are weak vessels, wholly inadequate apart from Jesus. There is no preferred language that can save. Jesus is our righteousness who looks to our hearts. In there Stephen, your comments edify and are appropriate.

          1Cr 1:19
          For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.

        • Too cute Stephen. God didn’t tell me this but a good friend did.

          If you can’t think of more than one way to spell something you aren’t very creative.

          Somebody! (I think his name was Webster) made up how to spell stuff and we can too! Just not on a resume. LOL

          Loved that because I can be VERY creative! I can even make up words no one has ever considered or heard of. There’s a game called Sniglets that I LOVE to play. If you like games and making up funny words it’s great. They give you the definition and you make up the word basically.

          One time my sister said, “Hey that’s Fandango!” They claimed she had to have made that word up but found out that’s an actual word (spanish dance) AND an urban slang. “Man, look at the fandango outfit.”

  7. We are meet for HIS Kingdom by HIS work on the Tree, Gal 3:13 HNV quoting Deu 21:22-23 HNV.

    Act 1:6 HNV, Jhn 2:23-25 HNV, Jhn 6:26-27.

    J.

    P.s. Tess, I’m sorry to read of your troubles, you know HE is faithful, 1Th 5:23-24 HNV.

    “True indeed the older we grow the more grace we have tasted, the riper we are becoming, and the fitter to be housed in heaven” – Spurgeon

  8. Dear Brothers & Sisters,
    First, your comments and prayers are more precious to me than I can express. Each of your comments have the unmistakable fingerprints of the Holy Spirit and what I’ve gone through with Mom’s passing. It is such a joy to be able to come here and say, “WHO IS LIKE UNTO THE LORD OUR GOD” Exodus 8:10 and to know that each of you know the utter amazement, awe and glory revealed when we have eyes to see and ears to hear.

    Mom passed away Saturday night 11/30 here at home. 4 years ago I came to be with her and my dad. Our God is so marvelous in His ways. He directs, guides and uses us in such glorious ways. They, of course aren’t the plans “we” might have had but they are by His design and for His purpose. God knew that I’d be needed here and I knew that His plans rather than my own life agenda’s and plans were best and filled with His glory if I could set self aside do His will rather than my own.

    It has been a very hard 4 years but such a glorious time. My mom and dad are both “christian” and did their best to raise their kids in that type of environment which I can never be grateful enough for. But, my dear parents have had a hard marriage. One filled with bitterness, anger and fighting. Each feeling justified to remain angry. Never able to realize the prison satan deceived them into being trapped in. My dear mom was so tortured by demons of that nature and although I tried to speak God’s love to her she would tighten her grip on the anger she felt justified in having. So, for me these years have been a trial and test from God and such a blessing as He helped me to just tend to them as if I were tending to Him. How very hard and how very rewarding the experience has been for me. You know when satan tries to trick you into unhappiness you have the right and obligation to reject his deceit. It’s often so difficult not to answer in kind and as I watched them play out this dysfunction I’d sit here in my room and study God’s Word and allow His truth and comfort to help me minister kindness and love in a hostel environment. What a blessing we receive when God helps us learn to love and comfort rather than justify and condemn. Jacob wrestled with the Lord in Genesis 28 verse 24 and how blessed we are when we walk with a limp. I think we all have that wrestling throughout life and we have the opportunity to let go or continue on wrestling with the Lord to get the blessing. Jacob didn’t win the wrestling match God just blessed the effort, Jacobs tenacity to just keep wrestling. Esau did not regard his inheritance (sold it for a bowl of stew) and he married outside his fathers Isaac’s wishes just to thumb his nose at Isaac. Jacob was still a stinker but my point is that we don’t always get it right but when we stay in relationship with God, God will bless the effort, make us walk with a limp but give us a new name and after that incident Jacob got a new name and when he’s referred to after that if he’s in God’s will he is called Israel and when he isn’t he’s called Jacob. We all have that two name distinction we are saddled with as sinful humans. Sometimes we get it wrong, sometimes we’re walking within His plan and the limp will help us remember and obey least we walk in the wrong direction. (I digress as usual!)

    Anyway, mom and dad continued to be stubborn and wouldn’t let me talk to them about God’s love preferring to hang on to justifications to be bitter and angry but I realized that my actions in showing love and comfort were the most important help I could be. I realized that I couldn’t argue or persuade against the negatives. I had to show and act out the love and truths of God and His will for us.

    Mom couldn’t grasp it. Her struggle continued on. As she fought for life my father couldn’t handle it. His approach to her was always to push, argue and insist with her and when confronted with her dying process he could not handle it. But God’s grace is sufficient. The last couple of days were days without sleep as I tended to her and gave her the medicine she needed not to suffer as I watched her fight for life slip into a loss of life. My sisters and mom’s sister also couldn’t handle it. Despite their love for her all were not given that task from God. If you’ve never seen the death process this may not make sense to you. Those dying will do what is termed “angel watching”. They will talk and work with their hands and feet. They are reliving their tasks in life. Mom did that but I’m fairly certain she was not in pain. I did however have to give her increasingly larger doses of morphine and lorazapam. Mom had been set up just prior for hospice care and of course they were available to call and came out a couple of times to the house. They let us know that mom was indeed in the dying process and their explanations and availability to call upon were invaluable to me. As the process progressed though it became harder and harder to bare but as moms lungs began to fill up it became harder and harder for my family. But our God is so good. I just tended her and stroked her hair and talked to her. Dad became panicky, mom wasn’t conscious but I believe she could hear me. We’d been told that the normal every day noises were best and that her ability to hear would be one of the last things to go so rather than the normal t.v. noise we found a cable station that my dad turned to gospel music. It became harder for him than he could bare and I’d just given mom dose of morphine so when he panicked I went over to the supply and said a prayer. I said, God I can’t give her another dose and “take” her life, it’s for You to come get her but now Dad is suffering to and I need Your help. I turned back to my dad and sister and let them know that she wasn’t hurting and that Jesus comes to take us home and we began to talk about how mom was at heaven’s gate. Dad said she’s probably sitting on the bench outside the gate petting Lonesome (their beloved dog) and sis said she’s probably talking to St. Peter saying, let me speak to your Boss and as they were talking I stroked her hair and leaned in and told her, mom you don’t have to fight so hard. You can relax now and let God take over. I know you’re scared but you don’t have to be. When God looks at you He sees His Son not us. All of us are the same unworthy sinners but God sees the blood of the lamb and sees that His Son died for you and me and God doesn’t lie. You can trust Him and relax. Mom did and took her last breath and passed away. Dad and sis got a bit panicky as dad thought maybe I was wrong and I said it’s ok dad Jesus Himself just left the room with mom. Her mansion is ready.

    I hope ya’ll don’t mind that I shared this with you. You have all been such a comfort to me and feel very humbled and grateful to be able to express these thoughts with you all.

    You know God doesn’t expect us to act like the preacher or the preachers wife or Billy Graham. There’s already a Billy Graham, a preacher and a preachers wife. Billy Graham didn’t lead a perfect life. Billy Graham just listened and did what the Lord lead Him to do. God wants us to be just who we are. We’re special and each on a special mission. God wants you to be you because each one of us is unique and has a unique perspective God uses to do His will. He didn’t send Billy Graham to my mom. He sent me. As hard as it was I’m still so very grateful He helped me through it. He didn’t send my aunt or sister or my dad or prepare them for those moments. Each of them acted and reacted to the best of their ability with the grace of God helping them through it. Remarkably, these past few days my dad has been listening to gospel music instead of his normal turn the t.v. on and the tune the world out. It’s such a joy to be here to share these times with him and help him through it. If I’m careful and able to let God act through me instead of me acting as my own agent on my own agenda I might very well be blessed to witness my dad turn back to Christ like we all have to do each day. He’s sharing his feelings with me and please pray that I’ll be able to say God’s words to help dad. Not say what I think but that I can allow the Holy Spirit direction to happen.

    Mom did not want a funeral service so we are having a memorial service for her and I’ve made a video of pictures with gospel music and we’re going to meet in the fellowship hall, have gumbo, potato salad and tea and cookies and all sit around talking about mom and our memories of her. We all have dozens of stories about her and making the video was so helpful to my heart. We tend to remember them as they were when we last saw them. Sick and old, etc but doing the video helped me remember what a wonderful woman she is and the moments in her life that are so precious.

    Again, I can’t tell you all enough how wonderful and insightful all your posts are and how they ministered to me and how I can see so much of the fingerprints of the Holy Spirit in them. I’m blessed of God because of all of you.

    God bless you all and thanks soooo much for the prayers.