The Sting of Death

Several years ago, a dear older brother from our fellowship

gave me two copies of a book he wrote.

I mistakenly thought it was a book preparing a believer for death.

The books were placed on my shelf for future reference.

Afterall, I wasn't planning on preparing for death,

I was praising the Lord for keeping my three tiny cancer tumors from growing.

When this dear brother, Doug Kazen,  went to be with the Lord he loved

Saturday, March 17, 2012,

I felt a great sting and a horrible loss.

It was then I realized his purpose in writing the book.

He wrote this to comfort those who had lost a loved one to death.

It felt like he wrote it just for me.

Although we mourn the passing of his physical body

and the loss of his earthly ministry,

he leaves behind a great legacy of faith.

He loved the Lord Jesus.

I often heard the story of his conversation at the age of 12

and he still marveled about his lovely Savior.

He loved the Bible.

He was a gifted Bible teacher and studied faithfully.

You always learned something, even in a short conversation.

He preached across the United States and in several other countries.

Even though he was well-known, he humbly chose to serve

as a Bible teaching elder in a very small fellowship of 40 people.

(Voices for Christ has a few of his messages available online.)

He loved the believers.

He bestowed his love in a myriad of ways:

words of encouragement, a fatherly hug when needed,

listening with his ears and heart, and words of thankfulness for service.

All my kids felt his love and appreciation.

He loved the Gospel.

His first message preached was a Gospel message,

and he never lost the thrill or joy in being able to share

about the salvation he'd experienced.

Even in his last days on earth,

he joyously preached the Gospel to the hospice nurse.

He loved his wife.

All of my kids knew and loved the story of how he fell in love

with his wife, and knew his love had only grown in their 55 years together.

I know brother Doug is not feeling any sting or any pain.

I know that he is in the presence of the Lord.

I know he is better off.

I know.

I believe.

But, like many others left behind,

I feel the loss deeply.

Other than the story of how he fell in love with Edyie in one glance,

I loved to hear the story of one of his greatest disappointments on earth.

You see, Doug was going to be a dentist. 

He was brilliant.

He was talented.

But, he had big hands,

too big to do the delicate work required as a dentist.

At this point in the story,  he would hold up his big beefy man-hands,

that looked like they should be holding a football, an axe or a sledge-hammer.
He would tell of the despair that caused him great  to doubt and fear the future.

But, it took this great discouragement

to put him on the path the Lord intended.

He was also drafted and served  the United States
off the battlefield as a Conscientious Objector.

Two things he didn't plan.

Two things that were beyond his control.

Two things that brought him to his ultimate destiny.

You see, Doug ended up inventing and manufacturing

portable dental and medical equipment for the military,
fulfilling a great need and providing a great benefit to the world.

Click on the link to see how this amazing device unfolds.

His greatest disappointments in life were only roadblocks
 to make him turn to the path of the Lord's purpose.

Missionary dentists also this equipment.

Check out the story of his company, Aseptico.

His equipment also blessed Jamaica after Hurricane Gilbert.

But, if we only honored him as a successful businessman,

he would be disappointed.

He asked his wife to ensure his life story would NOT be told at his funeral.

Still marveling at the salvation he'd experienced at age 12,

he asked that  only the Gospel be preached.

Now, that's a godly man whose death leaves others

feeling the sting of his loss.

Good thing he left behind a book to comfort my sorrowing heart.

Two Brides, Two Bridegrooms

There isn't a more beautiful God-ordained union

than the marriage of a man and a woman.

From the beginning, God planned for two lives to completely entwine

with His, making a cord of three.

Genesis 2:24

"Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother,

and shall cleave unto his wife:

and they shall be one flesh."

It's even more beautiful when you understand

 the earthly union is symbolic of the heavenly union.

We're told in Ephesians 5 that marriage is a picture

of our eternal salvation,

those that trust the Lord are the bride of Christ,

the Lord Jesus is the Heavenly Bridegroom.

Ephesians 5: 31-32

"For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother,

and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.

This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church."

On July 23rd I had the privilege of celebrating

 two brides
and
two bridegrooms.

Isenija has been a dear family friend for years. 

She began attending our kids Bible club years ago,

trusted Christ as her Savior,

and has been a radiant testimony for Him.

She met Shane during a Gospel outreach.

 

 The cliche,

a match made in Heaven,

is true for this lovely couple.

This beautiful bride was joined to her bridegroom

in front of many rejoicing people.

There were tears of joy in celebration knowing

the Lord brought together a couple who will bring Him much glory and honor.

They're a beautiful representation of the earthly union,

a man and woman pledging themselves together for life.

That same day,

some of us were touched by another bride and bridegroom.

A precious believer  met her Heavenly bridegroom

face to face.

 

Our dear sister in the Lord,

Rebecca Rankin,

went home to be with Him,

leaving behind her earthly bridegroom, Dustin,

two beautiful little girls, Gabi and Karis,

a large family,

and an even larger group of friends.

We grieve, but only for ourselves.

Her fight against lung cancer is over.

Her pain is over.

She will never again suffer,

never again weep.

You might be asking why I would put these two events in the same post...

why not put the wedding in one,

the funeral in another?

My heart was impressed to view these events from the Lord's heart.

We look at the first occasion as pure joy,

the second occasion as pure sorrow.

The Lord said,

"He who finds a wife finds a good thing."

But He also said,

"Precious in the sight of the death is the death of his saints."

Finding a godly earthly bridegroom is a wonderful thing,

but isn't meeting our heavenly Bridegroom better?

The love Shane showed watching Isenija walk down the aisle towards him

is only a shadow, a representation

of what the Lord felt when He brought Becca to Himself.

He loves her.

He sent His Son to die for her.

He longed to have her in His presence.

But, to fulfill the desire of His heart,

He had to break our hearts.

Since "to live is Christ, to die is gain" is true,

we know by faith  Becca has great gain.

The loss is only felt by those of us left on earth.

Rebecca's homecalling leaves a great void in many lives,

many hearts, many spiritual walks.

During her funeral service, the minister

speculated there'd be many little girls named after Rebecca.

There already are.

After working with her at Box T Bible Camp

we were so impressed

we named out last daughter

Rebekah Joy

with the desire that our daughter would be as faithful

as this dear friend.

 

But, by faith, in the depths of my heartbreak,

I choose to believe the Scriptures,

 this is in the Lord's plan,

this is for good.

I choose to not let my heartache

cloud the truth that Rebecca is at the feet of Jesus,

worshipping His Holy name,

singing praises in her voice that is

not longer cumbered by coughing and disease.

So, I am choosing to rejoice and praise the Lord for

two brides

and

two bridegrooms.

**********

 

Jessica, a dear friend of mine and also

Becca's best friend,

bore her heart through the final celebrations

in her blog, Blessed Beyond Measure.

If you're interested,

click on the links to see how the Lord has been given

the glory due His Holy Name.

 

The Last Visit

Becca's Reviewal

Becca's Celebration

Laura Story singing "Blessings"

Becca's Funeral

**********

Becca blogged at A Cracked Pot.

Here is her first blog.

I've been rereading her life story,

but since I don't know any fancy bookmarking technique,

I just email myself the last link I read so I can keep reading.

Even though you know how the story ends,

it will be encouraging to read.