As many of you know, our sister in Christ, Judy Singleton passed away last Saturday on March 5th. The last few months, it seems, and the last few days in particular, have been marked by the passing of a number of people. A few months back, Sue's grandmother Clara Long (we all called her "Grandma Great"), died at the age of 105. Then, last Thursday I believe it was, a young man by the name of Wes Leonard (age 16) died after scoring his team's winning shot in the district opener for boys basketball. My own son, Josh, (age 17) and his team got to play against Wes and his Fennville team a few months back. With this small connection, Wes' passing hit close to home. And finally, this morning, I heard that the ophthalmologist across the street from our church here in Grand Rapids died of a heart attack yesterday. He's roughly my age I believe. Even before hearing about my doctor neighbor, the passing of Wes and Judy had me thinking. Yes, we all die. No, none of us are even promised tomorrow. So, from God's perspective, no one really dies "young" (see Ps.139:16; Heb.9:27), yet every death leaves us with a void, and ache, a shape of emptiness where there once was a hug, a smile, laughter, and tears. My prayers go out especially at this time to the Leonard and Singleton families.

As for a word of hope . . . I've always found the passing of God's people to be a mysterious "mixed-bag" event if you will. What I mean by that is that we obviously grieve. It seems that Jesus Himself grieved at the graveside of His friend Lazarus (John 11:35). Yet, as followers of Jesus Christ, our grief is also mixed with hope (I Thess.4:13). We know that even now, Judy, and we trust Wes, is with the Lord (2 Cor.5:6-8).

I trust that those of you who read this, have placed your lives, your hope in Jesus Christ. If you have, death has no mastery over you, even when (not "if" barring Jesus' return!) you die! Jesus said to Martha, as she grieved the death of her brother, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?" (John 11:25-26). If so, we are comforted in our grief. Our hearts are wooed from trouble as Jesus says to us, "Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I got to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also." (John 14:1-3).

If you have not trusted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, if you are not one of His followers, He says to you, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes tot he Father except through me." (John 14:6). Will you give your life to Him? Will you trust Him for the forgiveness of your sin? Will you turn from your own agenda, and instead follow His? I pray that each of us will come to Him, not merely so we will not fear death when it comes, but to enjoy His life even now. I close with these encouraging words from Jesus: "Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life." (John 5:24).