Life Matters - July 3, 2024
I knew Peter as a church brother, a contractor, and as a friend. Where Peter really shone was leading out at children’s ministry where he emotionally connected very well with children, those hurting, as well as the ones having a good day. I will always treasure those memories. He was intense, everything he did was with his whole heart. Perhaps his intensity was also his weakness. It was a heart attack that took him down. And now he’s gone. His lean wiry form, his ready smile flashing from a sun-tanned leathery face… gone. His quick movements are stilled, leaving us all reeling from the suddenness of departure. Left to grieve his passing are his wife Debbie, children, grandchildren, other relatives, and friends… left to grieve the loss of husband, father, grandfather, brother, son-in-law, nephew, cousin, friend. He loved his family, had many friends, loved and was loved by many people.
It is hard. The deeper we love the deeper we hurt. Tears flow. Grief hurts. Tears are a part of processing the loss, a part of the healing. Jesus wept when he heard that Lazarus had died. Jesus understands hurt. He understands tears. Let them soften our hearts toward each other and to God. Loss makes me want to be more gracious to all that are still here while I can do so. We have millennia of evidence that 100 percent of us are not here to stay, we will all part ways, some sooner, some later, but all will. May it be only for a time, just until we are reunited with God in His glorious Kingdom. Goodbye Peter. For now.
Peter Waldner. At 63 years old he was too young. So was his dad, who died the same way, of a massive heart attack, at age 69. Too young. Or so we think. But what we think makes no difference, there is nothing we can do about this now that he is gone. Nothing, that is, except to pray for, and be there for those he loved the most and for each other. Was Peter perfect? Certainly not. Neither am I. Nor you. Meandering down dubious pathways at times, Peter always returned. We do well to give each other some space, to be gracious, acknowledging that all of us need Jesus, His cleansing blood and His grace to live a life ‘’whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and Godly fear.’’ (Hebrews 12:28) Peter’s love for God’s ways showed best at children’s ministry. Ministering to children, of whom Jesus said to not turn away ‘’for of such is the kingdom of heaven.’’ (Matthew 19:14) That is love, ministering love to little ones even when its not always returned. Showing them understanding, unconditional love.
I suspect it is because God is Love, because of God’s Love for the fallen human race (all of us) that the devil has this continual drive to twist the defining of love into something it is not, to obscure its true meaning and splash its false definition around via whatever medium he can do so to throw confusion into an already confusing world. It is the devil’s way to offer us ‘’love’’ by doing wrong, but what he doesn’t say is devastating; that an unclean conscience is never satisfied and will continue to seek temporary pleasure/distraction so long as one continues in that direction. As there is no way to fill a container with no bottom, so eternal needs are never satisfied by temporary means.
I have a love\hate relationship with funerals. A funeral means another has left us, it means no more interaction for the rest of our life here. It means goodbye. It means parting. It is painful. I hate funerals. No wait…there is another side to this…it is better to have loved and lost a loved one than to not know love at all. It is better, far better, to love and hurt than to insulate oneself from hurt by not loving, and conversely, not receiving, which two together become the greatest hurt of all. Love, after all, is the greatest of human need, we hurt worse without its give and take than we ever can with it. For those who are dependent in spirit, soul, and body, upon God, death is a personal liberation day, a day when love is fulfilled. Love is of God. Love makes life worth living. Love is worth dying for. Love means giving. Love means receiving. Love means giving out of the abundance of our receiving. ‘’Freely ye have received, so freely give.’’ (Matthew 10:8)
Love is doing, yes, but love is more than that. Love is being inundated with the love of Christ. Submerged. Love is eternal.
Life Matters!