There is beauty in dying.
As I look around my part of the world during this favorite time of year, I see beauty in the colors and bounty of creation. As the trees enter into a season of rest and the leaves display a final act of triumph before falling lifeless to the ground, their glory cannot be missed. They are paring away the unnecessary and concentrating on the important. As they do this, they reveal their true colors, leaving me in awe of the beauty of dying.
One year ago this month, a family member of mine went through this dying process. After several years of battling cancer that started in her breast, she now waits in Heaven for the rest of her family. Although I wasn't present with her during her final weeks on this earth, I have seen the fruit of her dying beautifully. I witnessed the ways she lived fully as she knew she was dying. I was told of the ways she prepared her nine year-old daughter for her parting. I've seen evidence of the care in leaving memories and instruction and a godly legacy. I saw her living well, continuing to give of herself and be present in this life and paring out the unnecessary as she edged closer to eternity. In this paring away, the beauty of her essence was revealed more clearly.
Hers is not the only dying I have witnessed around me. I have watched a friend die to sin and choose faithfulness. I have witnessed another beautiful one die to self and care for a child that will never be independent from her. This year, I tearfully observed two friends die to doubt and display trust as they relinquished their baby girls to Jesus. Daily, I perceive dying around me as people sacrificially give of time, money, dreams, desires so that others might experience love. And as they pare away sin, selfishness, anger, greed, envy, and so on, their beauty cannot be missed.
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It looks like Christ. And it's breathtaking.
"He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree,
so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness;
by his wounds you have been healed. For you were like sheep going astray,
but now you have returned to the Shepard and Overseer of your souls."
1 Peter 2:24-25
"For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.
When Christ, who is your life, appears,
then you also will appear with him in glory."
Colossians 3:3
Anticipating more glory,
For more thoughts in the Word, visit Internet Cafe Devotions.
20 comments:
I think this is a beautiful post.
oh wow... this is so beautiful, so powerful, if we just grasp the truth of your message.
I saw the beauty of dying in my own mother. She came to Christ in that time, and on the day of her funeral, so did my sister and her husband, and now their children. Until then, I was the only Christian in my family. My mother's death made the way for many members of my family, to receive Christ.
This post touched me deeply.
Well written and gorgeous pictures to compliments these words of Life.
Bless you abundantly...
Such a great post! This is just beautiful! I'm hooking this one up to Saturday Samplings at Half Past Kissin' Time this week if you don't. Also tweeting and bookmarking it. Your pictures and scriptures you included are very good and gives this post a plus quality!
Glorious photos and testimonies.
We are all in different seasons of our lives.
Oh, my girl. You have rocked me today - what a thing to think about. There IS beauty in dying and fall illustrates that so well.
I'm so sorry for the loss of your friend - it breaks my heart to hear of parents who pass away and leave young children behind and yet I know God's right hand will be on them. He works for the good in all things and yet sometimes those things are just so hard.
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this post today. Thank you.
Natalie at Mommy on Fire
http://www.mommyonfire.com
It's not just a beautiful post, it's God's promise. Thank you for an inspirational WFW today.
Great post! Hopping over from ICD. God bless you and thank you for sharing this powerful truth.
Your pictures are wonderful. You captured it all in this verse. I heard similar thoughts a week ago at the grave site of a dear woman who passed away.
This is a beautiful post! Awesome. Makes me really think. Thank you so much for sharing the beauty in dying.
Yes, it is breathtaking.
Such a lovely post.
You knocked this one out the ballpark! Dying is all around us and we often think of it negatively but you've very aptly displayed the beauty that can be found in it.
I found you by visiting Wanda's blog (A Watered Soul). I'm so glad I did!! I have so enjoyed wandering around your blog. This post was beautiful - both the words and pictures. You have captured one of God's great mysteries - the beauty of LIFE in the midst of death. I will enjoy following you!
GOD BLESS!
You know it's good when you read it twice and feel the urge to read it again...
We have such a sad way of looking at death and you so eloquently expressed it a very different way...so beautifully said.
The beauty in dying...it's amazing how God puts it all together for His purpose...
I'm in awe of this one!
peace girl!
lori
What a difficult topic to write on. I must admit I wanted to pass over this entry but because I'm familiar with you, I came to check it out.
What a beautiful picture of dying that you have painted. How precious the paring away of what was not essential and leaving that lasting legacy. I need to do that every day.
Thank you for this meaningful post.
Blessings,
Janis
It's fascinating that God would create a last burst of beauty before the winter season. As in nature, so in life... as you so poetically point out. Your photos are gorgeous.
I try to remember though that death is not "the natural order of things." Death is the consequence of sin, and is out of step with God's desire for everlasting life. It's alright to mourn our losses... and indeed we must.
Thank goodness death for believers is not the final chapter... rather, it's just the beginning!!!
In that I CAN rejoice.
Blessings, e-Mom ღ
Such pretty pics :)
I tagged you in a post :) Come see!
You've brought a new poignancy to the autumn season that I thought I was loving to my fullest. Your words are eloquent and inspirational. I will remember it well as I walk beneath the canopy of falling leaves on my way to church tomorrow. Thanks for reminding me that without death - there would be no resurrection. (perfect Saturday Sampling link.)
My contribution to Saturday Sampling is from my resurrected original blogspot. I'm hoping to gain some followers. I'm #15 - Hearten Soul For You http://heartensoul4u.blogspot.com
Like the fall colors, this was spectacular. Thank you.
Bravo to Karen for linking you up today!
Your post made me think of a quote I heard this week, "Almost dying changes nothing, dying changes everything." His dying for us, our dying to ourselves, yes, there is so much beauty and glory in these things. Beautifully written - thanks.
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