Remember and Rejoice

Julie Kurrasch, a co-worker of my wife’s, spoke beautifully at her husband’s memorial service last year.  As I thought about Memorial Day, her words came to mind.  You will see why.

After sharing some words about her husband, how they met, and their fond memories, Julie addressed a question that each of us will face several times in our lives.  What do you say to someone who is hurting?  I really like her answer...

It’s hard to know what to say when someone’s grieving.  Clichés often flow from our lips before we even know they’ve escaped.  One such saying is the belief that “God won’t give us more than we can handle”.  I’d like to take a moment to be clear….This is a lie!  He will absolutely give us more than we handle in our own strength, not to destroy us…..but to help us recognize our need for Him.  A better saying might be “God will never give us more than He can handle.”  He is showing me this with every passing moment!  I have never been so brokenhearted, but I am not without hope!  I am resting securely in God’s grace and sovereignty and protection.  He wants the same for you!

Those words impact me every time I read them.  So to, do the words that she spoke directly after those, which invited the guests to reflect on the lyrics of a song they sang prior to her speaking.  She said...

We just sang one of our favorite songs, Rejoice!  You may think this is an odd song choice for such a grievous event, but it is my prayer that the lyrics of this song would come to fruition.  Let me read them for you again:

Come and stand before your Maker full of wonder, full of fear
Come behold His power and glory yet with confidence draw near
For the one who holds the heavens and commands the stars above
Is the God who bends to bless us with an unrelenting love
We are children of the promise The beloved of the Lord
Won with everlasting kindness bought with sacrificial blood
Bringing reconciliation to a world that longs to know
The affections of a Father who will never let them go
All our sickness, all our sorrows
Jesus carried up the hill
He has walked this path before us
He is walking with us still
Turning tragedy to triumph, turning agony to praise
There is blessing in the battle, so take heart and stand amazed
Rejoice, when you cry to Him He hears Your voice,
He will wipe away your tears, Rejoice
In the midst of suffering, He will help you sing
Rejoice, come and lift your hands and raise your voice
He is worthy of our praise
Rejoice, sing of mercies of your King
And with trembling rejoice

[My husband] lost his battle here on Earth, his life has come to an end… but because Jesus chose to come and live the perfect life we could never live, to die the death we deserved, and to rise from the grave victorious over Satan and death, [his] story is not over!  Please, know that the bad news is that we all fall tragically short of God’s standards, but there is good news…Jesus substituted his perfection for our faults so that we could have perfect union with our Heavenly Father.  That is reason to worship, that is reason to rejoice!! 

Rejoice!  That is a great reminder.  One day after Memorial Day, we can take some time to remember, especially, the good news of Jesus.  

Thank you, Julie, for the reminder to rejoice.  

#ordinarylives

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Click "Rejoice" by David Kensrue and sing along!

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