IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE

Our pastor has been preaching a series entitled "In the Blink of an Eye".  I hope it will end soon.  Not that it has not been good.  It has.  But that is part of the problem.  It has been TOO relevant!!

It seems ever since he began this series several weeks ago, one "example" after another has occurred that brought home the term "in the blink of an eye". 

The crux of this series has been that the in the "blink of an eye", three things happen:

Life Happens

Tragedy Occurs

You are Spiritually Changed

The beginning Sunday of this series, our pastor showed photos from the recent tornados in Missisippi and Alabama as well as photos from the earthquake/tsunami in Japan.  In the "blink of an eye" those areas were devastated, destroying homes and lives.  I have driven down the streets of Smithville, MS and I have talked with some of the survivors of this small town of 900.  I have heard their stories of how their lives totally changed "in the blink of an eye".  They will never be the same.

In the days following we have seen the death of a baby,  a tragic car accident that claimed the lives of several family members, the drowning of a young man celebrating his best friend's upcoming marriage, several instances of sudden illnesses that have threatened the lives of several of our members, more severe storms in Joplin, MO as well as international tragedies in war torn areas. 

Just a couple of months ago, I wrote a blog entitled WINDS OF CHANGE (4-3-11).  In it I wrote about a friend from church who came home to discover her precious husband of 31 years gone home to be with the Lord.  This week, exactly 2 months from the day of his funeral, my friend joined him, losing her battle with leukemia.  It was sudden and unexpected.  She was gone "in the blink of an eye".  Life happens.  Tragedy occurs.

I attended her funeral today.  Sad because two young men have lost their mother only months after losing their dad.  Sad because parents lost a child, something that is just not natural.  No parent should have to bury their child.  And two sisters lost a sibling and a friend and a hole is left in this family.  But...as sad as that all is, this was NOT a sad funeral.  Why?  Because she had been spiritually changed as a child.  She had put her faith and trust in the Lord Jesus, and today though we wept, we did not weep as those who have no hope.  The body we saw in that pink casket was merely the shell of the woman we knew.  In the "blink of an eye" she was changed, from mortality to immortality (I Cor. 15:54)  and she is now present with the Lord.(II Cor. 5:8)  And, those of us who have also been spiritually changed, will one day see her in Heaven.  That gives each of us cause to rejoice!!

Yes, life can happen in the "blink of an eye"...our world as we know it can turn upside down.  But when you know the Lord Jesus, you are held in His mighty right hand and nothing can pluck you out of it!!  (John 10:28)