I have fought the good fight, 

I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.

And now the prize awaits me - the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing.

2 Timothy 4:7-8 NLT

The first part of this verse is chiseled into the headstone on my Dad's grave, and today we're heading to the funeral of someone for who those words are true too:

Fought the good fight

Finished the race

Remained faithful

Paul wrote this at the end of his life (see v6), and yet, even facing that reality, he held firmly to the hope that this life is not all there is. 

Paul had a big advantage over us in that he had met Jesus on the road to Damascus, but just like Paul, we can all hold the hope that we will see him face-to-face. That he will be so close as to wipe away our tears. 

In the face of sorrow and loss we are not hopeless. Yes that hope can be hard to grasp at times, yes it can seem overwhelmed by sorrow, by loss, by grief, and Paul is reminding his community, preparing them for those emotions, and in them, not to lose hope. 

Paul's faith is in a righteous judge, that somehow the injustice of this life will be made right. How that might happen is beyond me, but that too is the hope we hold.

Today, whatever we face, we are held by Love that cannot be shaken or lost. 

#letterstoahurtingworld

#wearenothopeless

#lovewins