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Psalm 72:18 NLT

'Praise the LORD God, the God of Israel, who alone does such wonderful things.'

One aspect of God that fascinates me the most is his forgiveness. It trips off the tongue all too easily that we have received undeserved grace. There was nothing we could do for ourselves to defeat evil and the powers of darkness ruling the world. This is God’s work, and I’m one of the beneficiaries. Yet, I seldom take time to reflect upon that reality. And when I do it is too vast to comprehend.

Towards the end of Katey’s life we both found a space together that required no words. We’d sit and contemplate the wonder of God. We had plenty of questions and a long narrative of crushed hopes. But we also found a place where we came to terms with what confronted us and discovered the art of quietly resting in God’s embrace.

We had run the race, not without our moans and attempts to cheat, and were now reconciled with the nature of our mortality and God’s authority to order our times and seasons. When we did talk it was about the creative events in our life, and we spoke about our own intimate and growing friendship with God.

We didn’t reflect much upon the high points of our ministry opportunities, preferring to consider the personal moments unseen by anyone but the two of us and God. At times it felt as if God was just an arm’s length away from us. I experienced the exact same peace as I sat in the hospital ward holding Katey’s hand as life slowly slipped from her. Even now I remember this as a wonderful space in which time stood still and space expanded around us. Was it angels who gathered at her bedside at around four, ready to carry her to the Lord? Who can tell? But I for one will forever say that was the case. And as she breathed her last, two hours later, quietly, gently and in a safe space, my own gentle tears quietly running down my cheeks were met with a gentle rain that started to fall from the skies within a minute of my stepping out from the hospital.

QUESTION: How has God brought joy and peace to you, even in times of sorrow?

PRAYER: Lord, you are good and for that I am so grateful.