Because He Lives

this past friday would have been our mom and dad's 32nd wedding anniversary.  sometimes i wonder if God could have made things any harder: since our mother left us a couple months ago, we've gone through valentine's day, her birthday, and now her wedding anniversary.  i have to admit at times i struggle to see God's work in all of this, but our family continues to rely and trust Him...i know that's what our mom wanted.

more importantly it was good friday, as we remember Christ's death.  my dad's reading this chinese book that a friend gave him, that helps wrestle with the questions of why bad things happen.  although it doesn't present any concrete answers, it does assure us that we serve a God who can relate to and understand the hurts that we're going through.  it uses the example of Jesus on the cross, crying out "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" before He died.  in many ways it is a great comfort to know that Jesus himself knew what it felt like to be abandoned and feel forsaken.

sunday was easter.  i went to efc with my dad today, and it was odd to not have my mom singing in the choir during easter, which she so often did.  one of the songs that we sang was Because He Lives.  when we got to the last verse, i started to tear up, because it made me think of my mom.  the words say this:

And then one day I'll cross the river
I'll fight life's final war with pain
And then, as death gives way to victory
I'll see the lights of glory and I'll know He reigns

how fitting this was for her life...

thanks God, for giving us hope.  thank you also for being a God who can relate to and understand our hurts.  thank you for the cross - amidst all the uncertainties and unknowns in life, it is the one thing we can be sure of.