A Living Hope

Before I share the latest, I wanted to say that many of you have complained about not being able to leave a comment on the blog. I wish I were technologically savvy enough to help, but, alas, I am a product of the sixties, not of the nineties! Well, any excuse will do, right? At any rate, thank you so much for your attempts! If you are unable to leave a message there and you want to get in touch with us, you can do so via e-mail: btalley5@embarqmail.com Now, for the post.

There is little pleasant about the gradual decay of the body. Death, while preferred over life by the Apostle Paul (Philippians 1:21-23), can seem an ignominy for many of us, especially when it demands a little piece of the body and the mind at a time. We know the sting of death is gone for the believer (1 Corinthians 15:51-57), but the pain may be intense before the glory of heaven is revealed. Though we hope and pray for the Lord's return - or, at the very least, a peaceful death - one need only look to Jesus' death on the cross to know that pain, caused by sin in this world, is a universal experience.

Linda's condition is no better. We continue to pray and hope that she will improve some as the bleeding in the brain continues to be absorbed. There is no evidence yet that improvement has begun. In fact, Linda's symptoms indicate we are entering the last stages of brain cancer. Techincally, Linda is bedridden - but I refuse to keep her there as long as she is willing to sit in the wheel chair at the table during meals, and sit (really, sleep) on the sofa while we "watch" TV, or I read to her. The primary reason is to keep bed sores at bay. She rarely, rarely smiles, though her sense of humor shines through occasionally. And, then tonight I was blessed so much that I laughed out loud when she spontaneously smiled, looked at me (sort of), and said with feeling, "I love you!"

I do not think that Linda is aware that she is as critical as she is - THANK GOD for His mercy on that issue! Linda is ready to go, but in earlier, more lucid moments, she admitted that she is afraid of dying, as almost all of us are, even those who walk closely with Jesus. If you think yourself the exception, please get back with me after you have had a "near-death" experience, especially if it is a bit extended. To be precise, it is NOT that Linda is afraid of death, as she has stated many times, but of the humiliation and the "unknowns" of dying.

These last few days have been extremely difficult for all of us. God has graciously given us the gift of Linda Faile Talley, one of the truly great ones. As far as we can see, Linda is dying, though even if our assessment is true (OH, how we would love to be wrong!), it may be several months until the end. With such heaviness, imagine the joy that Linda (I think) and I (with certainty) experienced early this evening when I read to her from 1 Peter:3-9! I will close tonight with that great passage in the ESV about our living hope.

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to His great mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heave for you,
5 who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials,
7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith - more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire - may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
8 Though you have not seen Him, you love Him. Though you do not now see Him, you believe in Him and rejoice with joy that is inexpresible and filled with glory,
9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

AMEN!