It's my mother-in-law's memorial service today. My job was to prepare the slide show. My wife Jane has done the hard part - to pick the pictures that would tell the story of her mother's entire lifetime. It's a delight to see the old pictures, her growing up in the farm, her going off to Holland in a ship to work for the RCMP, her wedding with Dad, her children, and then her many grand children. It is a very rich 87 years by any measure.
How will I be remembered? It is not hard to remember the many times God was at work in my life although photos won't always tell it all. For one thing I was usually missing in the pictures because I was the photographer! It is easy for others to see my accomplishments, my family, my church life. But how will they see Jesus living through me?
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Intellectually I am convinced that this verse is true for me. But I can remember the many times I was less convinced, when things didn't go well or they went the way I didn't want them to go. How will I face the prospect of dying? Will I be able to face the spiritual warfare that is yet before me? Will created things take the place of the Creator? During times of disappointment what if I don't feel the love of God in Christ Jesus my Lord?
The entire chapter 8 in Romans helps me to stay convinced:
1. I have committed my life to Christ so it is Christ who lives in me and his Spirit is at work to give me the power I need (verses 1-17).
2. Whatever will happen in future in this life is nothing compared with the future hope (verses 18-30).
3. "If God is for us, who can be against us?" (v31). Now that's the guarantee!
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