He climbed up the mountain of Nebo, beside the plains of Moab. His tired feet and aging body, straining at each step. I imagine the proximity of the Promise and the trust in the Covenant were the fuel that propelled him to move forward to the top of the mountain… after 40 years of wandering and waiting.

“Then the Lord said to him, “This is the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob when I said, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ I have let you see it with your eyes, but you will not cross over into it.” Deuteronomy 34:4

He would never taste the milk and honey. Ever. But His eyes would see if from a distance.

God would give him that.

And just as he saw the Promise Land, his heart stopped… and he rested in Him.

“And Moses the servant of the Lord died there in Moab, as the Lord had said.” (v.5)

I’ll be honest with you. I had a problem with this part of Scripture for a long time. I know, I know. Moses messed up. He struck the rock instead of speaking to it. But, man! Talk about harsh punishment (my flesh says)!

After all, he led the Israelites out of Egypt and turned a crowd of slaves into a Nation. Not just any nation…God’s chosen people.

He delivered God’s commandments and later was used to write God’s laws.

He put up with this unbelieving, rebellious nation time and again, and yet, prayed for them, interceded on their behalf when God vowed to punish them.

And yet, a seemingly small mistake stopped him just a few miles from the borders of the Promise he held close to his heart.

I finished a study on the book of Deuteronomy thinking about the death of Moses (Deuteronomy 34). On that same day, a godly man I knew lost his battle to cancer.

People from all over the world prayed fervently for his healing. We believed God for a miracle. But the miracle didn’t come.

As I read about Moses’ passing, I could not help but think of the promise this friend held close to his heart to the very end. The Promise of a future where he would see his children get married and have children.

As my heart ached for the family, and for a life seemingly cut short, and as I read about Moses’ death, pondering about the “unfairness” of it all, God’s word through Isaiah rang loudly in my spirit:

“Who can fathom the Spirit of the Lord, or instruct the Lord as his counselor? Whom did the Lord consult to enlighten him, and who taught him the right way? Who was it that taught him knowledge, or showed him the path of understanding?” (Isaiah 40:13-14)

And later in his book:

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9)

As I meditated on these well-known verses, the Holy Spirit’s message became clear:

“Moses didn’t set foot on the Promise Land, because his mission was finished. He had run his race, finished the course. My plans for him were better. Sweeter than honey.  I brought him to the REAL Promise Land.”

Moses didn’t set foot on the Promise Land, because his mission was finished. He had run his race, finished the course. God's plans for him were better. He took him to the REAL Promise Land
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There, Moses’ heart would not be broken by rebellious Israel again.

There, his aching bones would find complete healing. His tired soul would finally find joy… and rest.

There, there would be no more pain, no more sorrow.

And while the children of Israel went into battle, and later rebelled once again against God, Moses was spared. Instead of going through more strife and pain, HE EMBRACED HIS REWARD.

Oh, friend, what a blessed assurance to wrap around our hearts when a loved one, a child of the Living God, leaves this earth!

What a wonderful Truth to cling to when the troubles of life, and even death does not make sense on this side of eternity:

That we cannot comprehend God’s mercies and grace, and yet, we KNOW they are true and eternal!

That life is but a vapor, and soon we will be reunited with those who go before us, so long as our lives belong to the Lord Jesus Christ! Better yet, we can tell our hearts this amazing truth:

That our God is still good, even when the worst happens… And that our prayers were heard, even though the healing didn’t come.

Our God is still good, even when the worst happens… and our prayers were heard, even though the healing didn’t come. #MondayMotivation #facingdeath #hopeinloss #MondayDevotional
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Moses saw the TRUE Promise Land, way before Joshua and Caleb did.

His eyes may have only seen Abraham’s Promise Land from a distance… But His feet stepped onto the streets of gold!

As people we love seem to “lose” life’s battles way too soon, and although the sorrow and depression will be certain for a season…

Even though we will miss them until the day God calls us home, may we hold on to this truth, and tell it to our saddened hearts:

They didn’t lose. They won. God’s love and mercy took them home.

And because we believe in the same Savior… and because His stripes healed us all,

We will soon see them again.

How has the hope of Heaven helped you in the healing process after losing a loved one?

The post The Death of a Loved One from God’s Viewpoint appeared first on Soaring With Him Ministries.

Those were David Miller’s words at the end of our phone conversation last November. I chuckled. Leave it to David to have such reaction when I announced my decision to start a master’s program last Fall:

“I know, my friend, I know.” I replied, laughing, “I will keep that in mind.”

He was dead serious. His advice was as honest as his heart.

And it is that genuine, fiery zeal for the Kingdom and selfless approach to Kingdom work that characterized, not only David’s life, but also his work.

I read countless comments left by authors, pastors, bloggers and readers on LifeLettercafe.com after author Susan Shipe wrote a tribute to our friend David following his sudden passing on December 30^th. Close friends, virtual friends and acquaintances left messages which give us a small glimpse into this man’s soul: David loved Jesus above all else, and his neighbors as himself. It was never about David Miller – even though he himself was an extraordinarily gifted writer. Rather, his ministry was focused on helping those of us who are called to magnify the Name above all names.

I met David Miller about eight years ago, shortly after launching my blog. I came across LifeLettercafe.com and was excited about the prospect of featuring my posts on a larger platform. But I honestly did not think I would be accepted. Insecurities prevented this foreigner from reaching out to David for a while.

After a couple of months, I decided to take a chance. I emailed David and heard back from him within the next couple of hours. His email was full of encouragement: He had visited my website. He loved my voice. He thought I would be a great fit for LifeLetter. Wow. In less than 24 hours, I had a log in to their website and the invitation to share my message with thousands of readers every week.

I did not know it then, but that was David’s heart. Over the years, LifeLetter Café has opened its doors to over 300 writers from all over the world: From famous writers to people like me, who accept the call to ministry with trembling knees, knowing the scope of their inadequacy and yet, fully aware of the legitimacy of their calling. It’s as if David could discern the heart behind written words, as humble and faulty as they may be. Indeed, he was a reader of hearts and encourager of weary souls.

When my publisher asked who would write the foreword for my first book, David quickly became the natural choice for the task. After all, he had been the first person with a larger platform to believe in my writing. When I asked David to pray about it, there was a silence on the other side of the line. I held my breath for a moment.

“Wow, Patricia, what an honor! Of course, I will do it!” noticeably excited about the prospect.

I just finished re-reading the foreword he wrote, almost 3 years ago. I could not finish it without tears of gratitude filling my eyes. As it was so typical of David, the words he spilled on those pages reflect his boundless generosity. David did not just read my book, he carefully studied it. He not only wrote words as a favor to a friend, he wrote them as a tribute to the One the book was written about.

David Miller, the “Encouragement Dude”, whose love for the gospel was raw, whose motives were pure and whose passion to proclaim Christ was as hot as the fire at Pentecost, is now in the presence of His King.

David Miller whose love for the gospel was raw, whose motives were pure and passion to proclaim Christ was as hot as the fire at Pentecost, is now in the presence of His King. #DavidJBMiller @lifelettercafe
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He may not have earned earthly prestige, fame or fortune. But, oh! What a welcome must he have received in Heaven, and what reward our sweet Savior shall give our brother!

You will be missed, friend. And I won’t forget your last advice to me, by the way – I won’t allow seminary or anything else to ruin the purity of my faith. Let it be real and raw, just like yours.

May God help us carry the torch you lit, remembering the lessons you taught:

“Let love for the gospel burn brighter than your need to be seen or heard. Let love for your neighbor be the fuel for your cause.” 

Let love for the gospel burn brighter than your need to be seen or heard. Let love for your neighbor be the fuel for your cause. #DavidJBMiller @lifelettercafe
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This article was originally published on One Christian Voice Magazine on January 10, 2019.

The post A Tribute to our Friend: David Miller appeared first on Soaring With Him Ministries.

She was, in a word, special.

And today, we were all there celebrating her home-going.  There was standing room only in the church.  Evidence of a life well-lived, yes, but it was so much more.  It was a life that was saturated with the glory of the Savior.  His glory shone so brightly in her earthly life. It flitted into that funeral service today and soothed every heart that had the privilege of knowing her.

She was not there.  No.  She was otherwise occupied worshiping Jesus face to face.  But the fragrance of Christ she left behind was still as poignant as ever.

She was, in another word, beautiful.

As I sat there today thinking of her, I kept crying for the loss we all felt, and then smiling for the joy that I knew she was experiencing at that very moment.

And there you have it. Mourning with hope.  I know, as good as I know my own name, that she is alive. That’s a fact, not a “hope so”.  II Corinthians 4:14 says:

Knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus will

raise us also with Jesus and will present us with you.

 The void she leaves in the lives of those that were close to her will remain a tender wound for many years to come.  But because of II Corinthians 4:14, I know we will see her again.  I know it because this rock-solid truth has its footings set and cemented in the blood of Jesus Christ.  If He died and rose again, she rose again Saturday morning when she exhaled for the last time on this earth.

And we will too.  Mourning with hope.

If you are a believer in Christ, I’m not saying anything you don’t already know. In fact, if I’m not careful, I realize I run the risk of sounding trite and over-spiritual in a painful situation.  I only hazard saying these things because I know my friend.  I know what she would say if I could call her and ask her about it right now.

I remember one distinct time when my heart was broken over loss of ministry, loss of friendship, loss of direction.  My heart had been broken one time too many, it seemed, and I was in the process of just giving up.  She didn’t even know I was going through any of that and just “randomly” reached out to me me in a text one day that went something like this:

“Hey sweet friend.  The Lord just had you on my heart today and I felt impressed to tell you to keep going.  You may not feel like it, but your ministry is glorifying to the Lord.  You have something to say for the Lord, girlfriend!  Don’t give up.”

So, you see, I only say these things about mourning with hope, not to be trite or “hyper-spiritual”.  I say them because my beautiful friend said, “You have something to say for the Lord, girlfriend!”  She’d tell me, in her endearing southern twang,

“Say it, Alison! Tell ’em!  Yes! I’m more alive than I have ever been, and there is hope! I have gained everything because Jesus paid it all! And tell ’em there’s hope for everyone if they’ll just give their lives to Jesus too!  Tell ’em!”

And then she’d tell me to back it up with Scripture just cause she was sassy that way 🙂

 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.  I Thessalonians 4:13-14

I wrote this song a few years ago the night my grandmother died.  I got to thinking about what my granny would say to me from heaven if she could. I had the overwhelming honor of singing it today at the precious celebration honoring my extraordinary friend.  Maybe it will comfort you and give you some perspective if you are hurting over a great loss.

Yes, we mourn….so very deeply.  But, in Jesus, never ever without hope.

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