ON THIS DAY in 1979 my husband and I were married in Los Angeles.
It has now been forty-one years we have been husband and wife; both being equal and both still loving each other! As there are and always will be challenges on Earth until Jesus puts all of our enemies into that lake of burning sulfur, Duane and I will continue to fight the good fight.
We both have many heroes to emulate. Fighting the good fight first makes me think of the heroic Apostle Paul. The Bible, in fact, is filled with such men and women who have fought the good fight to the end: it is crucial to fight until the end of your earthly travels. God is not pleased with the lukewarm, the cowardly, the people-pleaser or anyone who does not make and keep Him as their first love:
Revelation 2:4-5
Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.
Loving God is more than extremely easy to do! It takes effort to love people.
As I reminisce about our wedding day, the years we’ve been together, I also think of the victories and challenges we’ve had together and separately; remembering that we still love each other and have been faithful.
Naturally, there are many things I would do differently. My husband, too. But we thank God for His blessings and for His discipline:
Revelation 3:19
Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent.
Selah.
Over the years, I think about people in my life who have come and those who have totally left my life: some my fault, some not. I am tired of the hurt of sin as all of my people are. I will remind you what the LORD said to me verbatim: “There will be no peace on Earth until the Prince of Peace is worshiped and loved by all in His sight, and those who reject Him are cast out of His presence.” A sad and painful truth this is. Thus, the lake of burning sulfur is in existence.
Selah.
I cherish this biblical phrase always: gathered to his people. Abraham, of whom I am one of his seeds, lived a total of a hundred and seventy-five years, breathed his last and was gathered to his people. These are my people too!
Genesis 25:1-11
The Death of Abraham
Abraham had taken another wife, whose name was Keturah. She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak and Shuah. Jokshan was the father of Sheba and Dedan; the descendants of Dedan were the Ashurites, the Letushites and the Leummites. The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanok, Abida and Eldaah. All these were descendants of Keturah.
Abraham left everything he owned to Isaac. But while he was still living, he gave gifts to the sons of his concubines and sent them away from his son Isaac to the land of the east.
Abraham lived a hundred and seventy-five years. Then Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age, an old man and full of years; and he was gathered to his people. His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah near Mamre, in the field of Ephron son of Zohar the Hittite, the field Abraham had bought from the Hittites. There Abraham was buried with his wife Sarah. After Abraham’s
Jacob knew he was going to die and told his people (my people too!) He told them where to bury his body, his shell that would be one day reunited to his soul and spirit. He wanted to be buried with his fathers in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite, the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre in Canaan, which Abraham bought along with the field as a burial place from Ephron the Hittite.
Genesis 49:29-33
The Death of Jacob
Then he gave them these instructions: “I am about to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite, the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre in Canaan, which Abraham bought along with the field as a burial place from Ephron the Hittite. There Abraham and his wife Sarah were buried, there Isaac and his wife Rebekah were buried, and there I buried Leah. The field and the cave in it were bought from the Hittites.”
When Jacob had finished giving instructions to his sons, he drew his feet up into the bed, breathed his last and was gathered to his people.
Moses was disciplined right before he was gathered to his people (my people too!) The LORD told Moses where to go to die…
Deuteronomy 32:48-52 Moses to Die on Mount Nebo
On that same day the Lord told Moses, “Go up into the Abarim Range to Mount Nebo in Moab, across from Jericho, and view Canaan, the land I am giving the Israelites as their own possession. There on the mountain that you have climbed you will die and be gathered to your people, just as your brother Aaron died on Mount Hor and was gathered to his people. This is because both of you broke faith with me in the presence of the Israelites at the waters of Meribah Kadesh in the Desert of Zin and because you did not uphold my holiness among the Israelites. Therefore, you will see the land only from a distance; you will not enter the land I am giving to the people of Israel.”
As I look at cemeteries, I have to remind myself: it is not over. Death is the final enemy; but for those who have true values, we’ve won! True values cannot and will not exist without loving the Law giver: God…
Matthew 24:12-13
Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.
Daniel 12:2-3
And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Some to everlasting life, Some to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise shall shine Like the brightness of the firmament, And those who turn many to righteousness Like the stars forever and ever.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.
1 Corinthians 15:55
“O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?”
As I am looking forward with the greatest of soulful pleasure and anticipation, I long for the day that, not only will be with my Father in Heaven, but I will be gathered to my people and all sorrows will be as if…
they never were.
Selah!
SCRIPTURAL TRUTHS FOR THIS JOY STORY
2 Timothy 4:7-8
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
Revelation 3:15-16
I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.
Revelation 21:7-8
Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
Galatians 1:10
Am I now trying to win the favor and approval of men, or of God? Or am I seeking to please someone? If I were still trying to be popular with men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:26
The last enemy to be destroyed is death
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