I’ve just returned from a trip to see my dad. He lives far away from me so I don’t get to see him very often. I had sweet fellowship with my sister whom I hadn’t seen in almost 15 years so I am grateful, but time with my dad was difficult. There was no flicker of recognition in his eyes; his happiness to see me had more to do with having a visitor than the fact that I am his daughter. The time is here when I mean nothing to him. The Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s have progressed past the point of remembering those who were once close to him. Still, his body is relatively strong and he is not in pain – that is something to be thankful for.

It’s a strange feeling to not be remembered by your father. I guess it is just one more way that this world is a dark shadow of eternal things, a place that is wasting away. Every day brings us closer to the time when there will be no more frail minds, no more tears and sadness, and no more sin to taint things. Seeing my dad reminded me once again not to hope in things or even people here on earth. It is all perishable – every tangible thing. Sometimes I am discouraged by this realization. I don’t like thinking about my life or the lives of those I care about slowly fading into nothingness. But if I take a biblical view of it, it is a joyous thing more than a sad thing. It should be my aim to fade so that Christ is enlarged. He must increase and I must decrease so John the baptist says. As my life undergoes the ultimate fading of death I will find myself in a place where there will be no more struggle to keep Jesus at the center. My perishable body will be exchanged for an imperishable one and there will be unspeakable joy. For now my life is fading, but not into nothingness, every action done for Christ is rewarded and will last beyond this life. I would do well to keep this at the forefront of my mind.

Note to self:

Don’t put hope in the temporal
Live for eternal things
Be glad to be humbled and boast only in Christ
Be content with whatever God has seen fit to give
Rejoice always for the amazing gift of salvation – real hope for now and eternity!

Hmm, that sounds like a good list for upcoming blog posts….

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