When My Father Passed Away….

When my father passed away (yesterday, as I right this) I thought about a lot of things. During the night I didn’t sleep much. The thoughts of walking in and finding his lifeless body wouldn’t leave my mind. When morning came I sat in my chair and began to read my Bible. In the last chapter of Job we find God accepting Job’s repentance, and restoring Job back to health. God also blessed Him twice as much as He did during the beginning of his life. It then ends by telling us Job died an old man who had lived a long, full life. In the beginning stages of my grieving I realize to a deeper level now, how much God and His Word means to me. As soon as I started reading my thoughts shifted away from the disturbing images in my head and onto the hopeful, encouraging, and uplifting power of scripture. It brought me comfort in a time of deep sadness. The magnitude of my dad’s passing hasn’t even begun to set in, but it’s such great comfort to know that God’s word is alive and active, and powerful enough to aid me in my grief. I thank God for my dad. He was one of the greatest examples of how one human being can love, no matter the cost. I know God love’s me. I know to a deeper level because He gave me an earthly father who loved me by proving it every single day he was alive. Thank you Lord, for giving me my dad, You knew exactly what I needed. And You know exactly what I need now. Help me in this difficult time.

7 After the Lord had finished speaking to Job, He said to Eliphaz the Temanite: “I am angry with you and your two friends, for you have not spoken accurately about Me, as My servant Job has. 8 So take seven bulls and seven rams and go to My servant Job and offer a burnt offering for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer on your behalf. I will not treat you as you deserve, for you have not spoken accurately about Me, as My servant Job has.” 9 So Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite did as the Lord commanded them, and the Lord accepted Job’s prayer.10 When Job prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes. In fact, the Lord gave him twice as much as before! 11 Then all his brothers, sisters, and former friends came and feasted with him in his home. And they consoled him and comforted him because of all the trials the Lord had brought against him. And each of them brought him a gift of money and a gold ring.12 So the Lord blessed Job in the second half of his life even more than in the beginning. For now he had 14 ,000 sheep, 6 ,000 camels, 1 ,000 teams of oxen, and 1 ,000 female donkeys. 13 He also gave Job seven more sons and three more daughters. 14 He named his first daughter Jemimah, the second Keziah, and the third Keren-happuch. 15 In all the land no women were as lovely as the daughters of Job. And their father put them into his will along with their brothers.16 Job lived 140  years after that, living to see four generations of his children and grandchildren. 17 Then he died, an old man who had lived a long, full life. Job 42:7-17