I experienced some raw emotion this morning watching a friend and colleague take in the news that his father is seriously ill and may be near death. He is old-school in that you don't show your emotions, you show up for work no matter what, you don't let personal issues get in the way of your life. Now, he has a very personal issue that caused him to leave work immediately, he couldn't think or talk very well. His emotions were overtaking him.
I hope he will talk to God and rely on God. We've talked about God before but I don't know that he has a close relationship with God. He might, I just don't really know. Yet, I hope in this situation, he might come to know God better.
In our Bible study last night, a question was raised on whether we could think that God might be punishing us when we experience the loss of a child (I suppose we could feel that way with any loved one). I certainly don't know the answer but one person in attendance certainly does. He has been there and lives with that pain. His answer was touching and comforting in saying that we make a decision how we will feel about God, we make a choice whether to turn to Him or away from Him.
We struggle with death yet often our struggle in purely selfish. We don't want to see a loved one leave us even when we know they are heavenward-bound. I think it's because we are too focused on the here and now and not focused enough on life with God. I might be wrong but it's just the way I see it. Oh, I know that when I lose a loved one, I will cry and hurt but I also hope I know there will be joy as they go to their real home, their permanent home with God.