Funny title to start with huh? But it is true, the funeral service today for Lance McKenzie is the best I have been to. We worshiped, celebrated and honored a man who adored Jesus and in his last breaths held a guitar and sang to God. Someone said at the funeral today.... cancer didn't win because he lifted up and praised God through the whole thing... never angry or feeling betrayed by the Lord. He believed for the miracle and at the same time said, "God, my life is yours and I will praise you." He got it.
I had been struggling with the fact that Lance didn't get the earthly miracle so many had prayed for and a sweet friend of mine said to me this week....
"Over the past 2 years, the Lord has showed me that there is another layer to our relationship with Him that only comes from walking with Him through prayers that are answered differently than we prayed. The outcome of the circumstance we are praying for is secondary to the bond we create with Him through the act of praying itself. His purposes are much more complex and perfect than what we could ever dream of praying for. When we hold more tightly to what we want to happen after the prayer than the intimacy we gain with our creator through the act of praying and listening to Him in the process we may be missing the sweetest gift."
I don't want to miss the sweetest gift. Lance, you lived a life of passionate worship for the Lord. Dedicating your life to His ways and His plans, in sweet sweet surrender. You believed for your miracle and fought the fight but kept the smile and the joy of the Lord before you. You are now in Heaven with beauty surrounding you and a new heavenly mansion and body. I celebrate you today and your example. There is nothing more important to me than walking with my Savior and showing Him to the world. Thank you for reminding me today that through it all the God who made me, who made you is holding us in the palm of His hand and wants to go deeper. May I embrace a new level of intimacy with you Lord and live a life that draws others closer to you.
Grateful for another day.... love and hugs from our home to yours!
1 comment:
Beautiful and insightful. How Great is our God! And Lance fully understood that, and how blessed is he! God never promised the road would be easy, and I can't help but think of a verse from a song by Ginny Owens I heard when I started developing a personal relationship with Him, "The pathway is broken and the signs are unclear. And I don't know the reason why you brought me here. But just because you love me, the way that you do, I will walk through this valley if you want me to". Sometimes we don't understand why things happen the way they do and why some prayers aren't answered the way we would like, but it's in those situations where I humble myself to the Lord and my lean on my faith in Him. Your friend is right, prayers do bring us closer to Him, especially in the hard times. He wants to be there for us, he is our friend. I think, as humans we want to know the "WHY", but our brillant scientists don't even understand how the universe was made. We are limited in our knowledge and that's where faith in God comes in to let Him be knowledgeable about EVERYTHING, and not us. And thank God for that!!!
Love ya cousin.
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