August 28, 2009
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my friend in Christ, I'll miss you
since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God;
24 for
All flesh is like grass
and all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers,
and the flower falls,
25 but the word of the Lord remains forever.
And this word is the good news that was preached to you.
–I Peter 1:23-25As of late I've become more and more aware of how fleeting our lives are. However, for those of us who have been born of Christ's incorruptible seed we know we will live together forever with Him! As I've been blogging here I have been privileged to become acquainted with many of you, and a few of you have truly become friends to me, not just friends in name. Yet it's strange knowing that many (most) of us will not meet in this life but will only meet together at the heavenly throne.
I don't know how long I have yet on this earth. I don't know if I'll leave this place before any of you, or if some of you will leave before me, but I wanted to give you this poem as a parting gift. None of us knows the day He will call us home to Him (could it yet be tonight?) or the day or hour of His returning.
I thank God for all the Christian friends God has given me throughout the years; you are truly Christ incarnate to me. May He richly bless you and keep you running to take hold of that for which He has taken hold of you so you might obtain that incorruptible crown!
* * *
my friend in Christ, I'll miss you
my friend in Christ, I'll miss you
though we've never met here
we will there
one Day at the throne of Christyou are my friend
though we're friends, we've never met,
yet we both know the Friend who sticks closer than a brother
my friend in Christ, I'll miss you
that glorious Day you'll go to be with the one who calls you friend.my friend in Christ, I'll miss you
though we've never met here
we will there
one Day at the throne of Christyou are my friend
though we've never seen one another face to face,
yet we've both beheld His face
my friend in Christ, I'll miss you
that glorious Day you'll go to see Him face to facemy friend in Christ, I'll miss you
though we've never met here
we will there
one Day at the throne of Christ
you are my friend
though we've never shaken hands,
yet our names are written on the palms of His hands
my friend in Christ, I'll miss you
that glorious Day you'll go to see the wounds in His handsmy friend in Christ, I'll miss you
though we've never met here
we will there
one Day at the throne of Christyou are my friend
though we've never drunk a cup of coffee together,
yet we've both drunk deeply of the living Water
my friend in Christ, I'll miss you
that glorious Day you'll go to see the river of the water of life flowing from the throne of God and the Lambmy friend in Christ, I'll miss you
though we've never met here
we will there
one Day at the throne of Christyou are my friend
though I've never heard your voice,
yet we've both heard the Shepherd's voice
my friend in Christ, I'll miss you
that glorious Day you'll hear His voice voice calling you homemy friend in Christ, I'll miss you
though we've never met here
we will there
one Day at the throne of Christyou are my friend
though we've never prayed together in the same room,
yet we've both entered the Holy of Holies with Him
my friend in Christ, I'll miss you
that glorious Day you'll go to dwell in one of the many rooms He's preparedmy friend in Christ, I'll miss you
though we've never met here
we will there
one Day at the throne of Christyou are my friend
though I've never walked beside you,
yet we've both walked together in His Spirit
my friend in Christ, I'll miss you
that glorious Day you walk into His presence and fall down on your kneesmy friend in Christ, I'll miss you
though we've never met here
we will there
one Day at the throne of ChristLord Jesus, as much as I'll miss my friend,
You are the Friend who sticks closer than a brother.Lord God, as much as I'll miss my friend
You are the Giver of every good and perfect gift.You know I tend to hold too tightly to my friends here,
my friends who are gifts from You,
You are the Friend who comes before all my other friends
I must never let my friends here come before You, my God.You give and take away
Your ways are perfect
even when you choose to take away,
even when it seems less than perfect to me,
Guard my heart and my mouth so I may not charge you foolishly.
Place in my heart and my mouth a song of praise to bless Your name
that glorious Day Your angels come to take one of my friends to be with You.Yes, my Friend, I'll miss my friend in You
though we've never met here
I know we will there,
that glorious Day at Your throne, Lord Christ.Amen.
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Comments (10)
Oh I have tears in my eyes reading this. Please don't be in too much of a rush sweet friend. I just found you. But I also know the lovely truth of that old saying."here, there, or in the air." Won't heaven be wonderful!! my friend.
Thank you for a lovely poem. I enjoy my 'Friends' here. I know what it is to lose friend. I will go to Tom's funeral tomorrow at 1:30 a.m. This man sat in my house many times talking about 'end times.' That was his favorite topic.
I also love my computer Friends. They are my social network. Sadly, I don't do well in real live, but somehow I find lovely people here.
blessings,
frank
@roseteacup - My new friend,
I had tears in my eyes as I wrote it and reread it again. Don't worry, I'm not too much in a rush to leave (though there are times that I look more and more to leaving this body since my flesh continues to lust against the Spirit). I do believe God has more work for me here, but I am seeing more and more that we can't take the future for granted. Let's be sure we make the most of the time He gives us together.
@FRANK@revelife - Frank, you're welcome. I am thankful for all my friends, both in person and online. I think being in this virtual community many of us have been able to enjoy a different type of fellowship we might not have if we were in one particular congregation b/c while we're here many of us seem to get to the heart of the matter (our life w/ Christ) and don't really worry so much about nonessential or trivial matters that can so bog down churches and cause dissension and the like. I have really appreciated the people I've found here who have a hunger for God and a desire to know Him like Paul in Phil. 3.
This was very moving. I'm so sorry to hear of this loss. I did not realize. I'm praying for you and for your friend and family.
@YouTOme - Actually there's been no loss yet, but this was written as sort of a pre-grieving to my good friends here whom I might never meet in this life. I've seen enough death/illness this year to begin to truly grasp James' words that our lives are but a vapor here.
Words fail me to respond to this post of yours Karen. I guess we'll all just have to "hug" in heaven, cause it's not possible here. My reaction to your post though is a big healthy hug anyway!
There is always a sadness when we think about these things...we don't ever want the "good" things to end. But what awaits those of us who are in Christ is our intended life - the abundant, blessed, eternal life with our Father and with His Son and the Holy Spirit. Personally, I have learned to rejoice with those who are privileged to graduate from this life. We all "... tend to hold too tightly to my friends here, my friends who are gifts from You..." I have learned this about myself recently.
Instead of regarding these thoughts as sadness or morbidity we should think on these things - they are pure and lovely - and they honor God. The only caution is that we should learn to be content with God's timing and His ultimate purpose.
@Biblerapture - Yes, Jim, we will "hug" in heaven.
@quest4god@revelife - Thanks, my friend. I like what you've said here. Oh, yes, I can definitely rejoice w/ those believers who've graduated, as you say, from this life. It's tough, however, when you're the one left behind. I really had to write this b/c I needed (once more) to give my friends to the God and learn (once more) to "be content with God's timing and His ultimate purpose," which is really the bottom line in the Christian life, is it not? "Not my will, but Yours be done."