We have this hope!

We have this hope that Burns within our hearts, hope in the coming of the Lord. It was a bright and tropical morning as the sun come up over the big mountains that were dotted with pinpoints of smoking cooking fires, that clearly showed signs of morning preparations been gotten under way. This day unknown to me November 26, 2012 would be a day that in many ways would change the course of my life, and test my faith in God to the extreme. We as missionaries were serving in the country of PNG and my father had just left a couple days before to go up the river to the village of amu, where he was going to cut trees down with the help of the people to mack our home. As we got up and had breakfast and went in to do school, The day slipped by slowly. Mom took us down to the river and Read us a book, and then we helped take a sick patient up to the clinic. But the thing that will stick in my memory forever is what happened later on in the afternoon as it becomes dusky and the night sounds begin to come out all over the the jungle. Mom and us were just about ready to get in bed, when we started to here Walling coming down from the river. Now this was not anything new, unfortunately People died regularly from many things in the jungle. But this walling was different some how. Suddenly there was a knock at our front door. Mom went and we followed shortly just in time to hear the man at the door say, John is dead, and mom saying, no my John is not dead, he was just here a couple days ago. And the man saying, no mam, John is dead! At that point everything was a scramble. We ran down the pathway that lead to the river, but on going half way, met a group of women and girls walling and coming up the hill. A girl about my age put her arms around my shoulder and cried as we made our way to the clinic that was up on the hill by were we lived. As we got near, the crowds of people parted and we walked into the clinic to find my father laying on a stretcher and the nurse frantically trying to get a heart beat. Finally after a couple minutes he looked up at us with a face that clearly said what we were dreading. As reality set in I said to a lady by me, “If God whats he can raise him up like Lazarus!” But that was not God’s will. My father had been "watching the men cut down trees and a branch fell and hitting him, had killed him instantly. " The next day as we were evacuated by helicopter and we’re flying away. I looked out the window and to my amazement there was a rainbow circling the helicopter. And now that I think of it, it was like the Lord gave me that little reminder of his love, that there is hope, hope that I WILL see my father again! Because it says in 1 Thessalonians 4:16,17 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, and with the voice of an ark Angel, with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain she’ll be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. So my father is sleeping until the second coming when Jesus will all take us home. John 11:25 Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me, though he may die, he shall live. Psalms 6:5 For in death there is no remembrance of you; in the grave who will give you thanks? Psalms 115:17 The dead do not praise the Lord, Nor Any Who go down into silence. Ecclesiastes 9:5 For the living know that they will die; But they Dead know nothing and they have no more reward, for the memory of them is forgotten. So The Bible is clear on where it stands. The Dead no nothing they have no more memory. They sleep in the grave till the resurrection. John 11:11-12-13-14 ...“Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up.” Then his disciples said, “Lord, if he sleeps he will get well.” However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that he was speaking about taking rest in sleep. Then Jesus said to them plainly, “ Lazarus is dead. John 5:28-29 “ do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear his voice “and come forth... So we truly have “this hope that Burns within your heart, hope in the coming of the Lord.” The peace and sense of tranquility that come from the promises in the Bible, can be your's to if you won’t. All you must do is believe that what he says he will do.