There Are Some Things Death Cannot Do

Death can kill a body. It cannot kill a love.

Death can sever a body's ties with this world. It cannot sever the bonds of family and love.

Death can erase a person from our field of vision. It cannot erase a person from our mind's eye, heart, and memories.

Death can change a future. It cannot alter the past.

Death can make it impossible for a person to be with us physically. It cannot make it impossible for a person to be with us spiritually and stop us from feeling their presence like never before.

As a matter of fact, the more I walk with people who have walked a loved one through the valley, the more I am finding that to be universally true. It's almost as if God has a surprise in store for us when a loved one dies...we can feel them with us. I'm not talking about them being a "ghost" now. I'm not talking about "seeing" them in any way, shape, form, or fashion. Rather, it's a feeling, a sense of their presence that people are talking about.

I'm talking about their nearness is felt. It's as if God says, "Their body is gone, their spirit is with me, but there's a feeling I'm leaving with you and you'll feel them with you when you get over the initial shock of them being gone."

It's a comforting feeling. It can reveal itself in a time of day or in an object. It can just pop up out of the blue. It's a helpful feeling and a presence to talk with and cry with. And laugh with.

Jesus tells us that He will neither abandon us or forsake us.

I'm beginning to think He makes a way for our loved ones to, somehow, not totally abandon us either. I cannot explain it. I don't understand it. But I am seeing it over and over from men and women of all ages.

And I am grateful.