Young Adults' Group

A Grateful Heart

by Pastor Mark
September 16, 2021

Thanksgiving

It is with a heart full of thanksgiving that I echo the words of Paul, “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you.” (Phil 1:3) I thank God for the outpouring of love and support that Pastor Charles, the Session and all at Bethany have shown to Pastor Mitch, my family and me during Mom’s passing. Bethany is truly God’s kind of church, where God is touching lives and people care for people. I write this not because I am one of the pastors of Bethany. I write it because it is a fact. I have personally experienced for myself this love once again. It is a church that is special and I count it my joy to be part of it.

Treasure

It is surreal that both my parents are no longer with us as a family. My dad and mom had been so much a part of my life. Pastor Mitch and I cared for and supported our mom for the last nine months as she struggled with failing health. I thank God for the opportunity to honour the Lord and our mom during the funeral wake. The life and love that we shared with Dad and Mom over the years will be remembered and treasured always as fond memories.

Let us be encouraged to treasure the time that we have with our parents. Time truly flies and before long, they are no longer with us. While we have the opportunities to relate and to treasure them, let us seek to honour them as we should (Eph 6:1,2). If they have yet to know the Lord, let us pray for them to be open to the gospel.

Time left

Mom’s passing is the 6th death in my extended families over this last year. It is sobering to see how a whole generation in my family is slowly leaving us. I was reminded of the reality of what David wrote, “Certainly every man at his best state is but vapour.” (Ps 39:5) We need to be reminded of this truth…how short and frail our life is. Should we be caught up with busying ourselves in vain and heaping up riches for ourselves? (Ps 39:6) Wisdom teaches us otherwise. With whatever time I have left, I am committed even more to number my days and use them to live for the Lord and serve Him.

True joy

I thank God for the comforting words that Pastor taught during Morning Worship. The Lord Jesus told His disciples, “And you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy.” (John 16:20) For the disciples, the death of the Lord Jesus would bring sorrow. Yet the Lord assured them that their sorrow would be turned into joy. The sadness would not last. There would come the fruit of joy that will last and last.

One reason for experiencing the joy of the Spirit is how the Lord will answer our prayers, “Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.” (John 16:24) For me, last week was a week of sorrow. But that sorrow is slowly turning into joy. I rejoice that the Lord answered our prayers for His will to be done for Mom and He mercifully took her home to heaven. I thank God also for the joy of our salvation that our names are written in heaven (Luke 10:20). The Lord Jesus taught the disciples not to focus on temporal joys such as the casting out demons but to rejoice that their names are written in heaven. I rejoice that my mom’s name is written in heaven, and she is dwelling in heaven’s glory now.

I look forward to the time that I will see the Lord and my parents in heaven. Let us be challenged to cultivate joy as a fruit of the Spirit that will continue to last in our life.

Back to Article Listing