We go on through life and day to day living as a matter of routine. We get up each day and attend to the things at hand. Some are home makers, and the day is very full for these dear people! Some are the bread winners, and the day may be long for them. Some may be retired and the days may be a little easier by now.

We are used to our routines and without much thought we attend to them with each passing day, until … something happens out of the blue that completely alters our life completely!

Something of this sort happened to us in mid August when a loved one became critically unwell and sadly passed away two weeks later after the best of efforts by the best of medical specialists to save a life.

Our sadly departed loved one was not prepared for something like this to happen, and neither was anybody else!

This has certainly been a steep learning curve for those of us who have been left behind. For a number of weeks our lives have been put on hold to attend the needs of a vulnerable loved one who is now grieving the loss of her beloved husband. 

To all intents and purposes, this all may appear to be a tragedy to any passer by observing from the outside. Sometimes, I have to admit, being on the inside of this has it has felt like somewhat of a tragedy as well … ‘But God’!

Who would have known that although life has been very difficult, we would not have been able to manoeuvre around the obstacles presented to us over this past few weeks, if it were not for the promised presence of our precious beloved Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ? But God knew!

Who would have known that such an impossible trial was made possible because of the invitation to leave it all with Him? God did! When Paul the Apostle said “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Philippians 4: 12. He was referring to living through trials of scarcity and through times of prosperity.

Paul knew that sometimes life presents to us impossibilities, and we cannot live them in our own strength. We can only live through them in the strength Christ gives to us. And doing so enables us to live through things we would never be able to bear alone. He wants us to trust Him.

It is an honour to be able to speak of the Lord Jesus to observers who gasp at the situation in which we have found ourselves and ask how we are managing this trial. I love to tell them that I am not managing it, but He is! And He has a purpose for it all.

I have been through enough trials to have learnt that the Lord does not allow things like this to happen without a purpose, and I have already witnessed the Lord at work in little things here and there. These gestures have brought precious comfort at just the very moment I needed them. These have been revelations of His character I will forever appreciate.

Who would have known that we would have been cut off as it were from normal living for a season? If we had known that something like this was gong to happen, we would have been doing everything we could to avoid such a thing happening in the first place.

But God knew! He saw this coming from eternal ages past and provided in advance all the resources in Himself that we would need at such a time as this. And this is the place where I can rest. He knew, and He knows all about the things we have had to attend to, and I can quietly rest that He who promised to be with each of His people; never to leave or forsake them is also always ... with me!

So as we look into the near future and take up the responsibility of clearing our loved one’s vacant apartment after settling my dear Mum into a wonderful care home, tying up loose ends, shutting down services, before finally handing the keys to their apartment over. And as we make the final arrangements to the funeral service or our departed loved one, I know that my Lord who has been with me this past few weeks, carrying me every moment of each difficult and exhausting day, will continue to do so until we finally get back to some kind of normality again.

In conversation with a friend a little while ago I suggested that among my favourite Bible verses is this particular one that is mentioned many times, and I believe with very good purpose: “And it came to pass.” Now isn’t that a comfort indeed! Because it doesn’t say: “And it came to stay”!

Bless the Lord that one day we will look back and confidently say: “And it came to pass”! I am very much looking forward to that!

So my dear friend, although you also may be going through the trial of your life, don’t despair, God knows all about it and has a purpose for it right now. Although it is hard and you may be hanging on by your finger nails, He’s got you and will not let you go.

It will also come to pass for you also, and you will look back in wonder at the precious things your learned about the workings of the Lord in your trial. You be comforted along with me … 

Who would have known? 

This is a bit of a searching question for everyone who get’s taken by surprise. We make plans and assume that we have time to get on with life … but what if we don’t? What if that time comes to an unexpected end? What if sometime in the near future people and loved ones will be saying of your premature departure from this world: ‘who would have known that this would have happened to … (your name?’)

We hear from time to time of the sudden passing of people we did not expect to die, but they did! Where did they go? Where will you go? Knowing your eternal destination is heaven to be with the Lord Jesus is something you can know for sure. This is all down to a personal choice you must make in response to the love of God to you personally.

Do not delay … read more here