Jesus replied, "The hour has come for the son of man to be glorified. Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life." ~John 12:23-25
Since losing dad in 2010 and Sara in 2011, Easter has taken on a new depth of meaning. Those that God blessed us to love and live with here on earth...those that we can't imagine living without, are given eternal life! One day we will live with our heavenly father, and be reunited with our loved ones!
When I'm feeling lost without them, when I long for their giant hug, I can find joy in the blessing that Christ died so we can live.
I also find joy knowing that both dad and Sara lived their life glorifying Him. They lived their life showing people through their actions what it means to give up their own wants, needs and desires for the will of our Father.
God tells us through the above bible verse, that until we die to everything but the Father's will, we will never accomplish the purpose we are living for in the first place. If we truly trust God and have faith in His will for our lives, we should not be afraid to be buried like a seed in the soil of God's will for our lives.
I saw this with both dad and Sara...they were not afraid to give up everything for God's will in their lives and because of that, their faith produced an incredible amount of fruitfulness in their lives. Ultimately the grace and peace of Christ in their lives.
For that, I am eternally grateful and filled with JOY.
