In August, I went to Dallas to officiate my brother
Michael’s memorial service/celebration of life service. I
never imagined having to officiate something like for a
member of my own family, but when asked, I couldn’t
refuse, was sure I wasn’t supposed to refuse. I searched
and prayed through the “standard” scriptures for these
sorts of occasions, but nothing seemed to speak God’s
heart to me for me, my family, or Mike’s friends and
loved ones.
Many of his friends reached out to me to share
condolences, to share stories. They “friended” me on
Facebook and many of their posts echoed sentiments of
grieving the loss of their friend, being separated too soon.
It spoke of this passage from Romans to me. Nothing can
separate us from God’s love. Because this is true, then we,
who are bound together by God’s Holy Spirit, God’s love
for us binds us together – nothing can separate us – not
death nor life. Suddenly, I understood The Great Cloud
of Witnesses in a way that made perfect sense. The Great
Cloud of Witnesses exists because nothing can separate
us from God’s love.
It also made clear to me something I’ve neglected to
hold up as important. Love exists permanently and
eternally in the present tense. Love is. Love doesn’t exist
in the past tense because God IS love. Love is. There is so
much hope, freedom, promise, joy, and redemption in that
simple (though mysterious) truth.
You see, the first verse of Romans 8 reads, “There is
no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
Then in verse 38 we read, “And I am convinced that
nothing can ever separate us from God’s love...”. What
incredibly GREAT NEWS!!! Even when, maybe
especially when, our relationships are messy, imperfect,
even broken, God’s love still prevails. Whatever else
“was”, Love is. Whatever hurt, wound, lie, betrayal –
that can be released, let go, and forgiven, because LOVE
IS – love is the eternal present that allows for the past to
heal and be redeemed. We don’t have to be stuck in grief
or loss for those we love because they are not gone from
us – just gone from here, because LOVE IS.
We will experience calamity, pain, sickness, troubles,
difficulties, but as Romans assures us, that does not
mean God doesn’t love us. We will experience times of
joy, victory, success, health, abundance, but that doesn’t
mean God loves us more than others. Whatever season
we find ourselves in, those moments pass, but God’s love
for us never does. It never waivers, dims, weakens, or
dies. Whatever was, Love is.
In God’s Love,
Pastor Michelle
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