No goodbyes

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I just learned last night that a friend had passed on…

By God’s design, she texted me during the pandemic, and we stayed in touch for three years via FB and Messenger – something we never did before!

We never even had coffee together even if we belonged to the same office for years. At best, we were just cordial to each other.

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But to my surprise, during the height of Covid and even after it had waned, she’d text me whenever she read one of my articles (here in Malaya). I’d sometimes share the articles with my friends in FB.

This started our brief but robust friendship. She’d text me when she needed prayers for her check-ups, confinements, or anything about the people who stayed with her. She’d text me when something nice happened to her, or when she had a bad day. She’d text me her insights about people, events, places.

Since she was a good writer herself, she wrote me abbreviated versions of her autobiography. She was witty, naughty and incorrigible at times. She was transparent. Not afraid to be vulnerable.

At odd times of the day, she’d write to me about her childhood, her teen years, her sisters who provided generously for her. She told me about her career. She praised me often about how she loved my writing in Malaya… And what she learned from them; how she applied the principles that she learned.

It was a rich, rich exchange that we unexpectedly had during the pandemic. She even knew the names of our children and grandchildren – and told me that she was praying for them.

But the strongest seal of our friendship was this: Through our numerous text exchanges, God gave me the ultimate privilege of sharing with my friend about Jesus Christ. How He is THE ONLY WAY TO HEAVEN. Then one day, when I knew she was ready, I asked her to commit her life to Jesus. To accept Him into her life as her very own Lord and Savior. I told her – it’s not about religion. It’s about having a personal relationship with Christ… much like investing in a relationship with someone who you know will be worth it all because that person exemplifies and personifies all the good that you want to see in yourself. A person whose presence makes you feel safe. Secure. Valued. Loved.

I believe she did ask Jesus Christ to take control of her life. To be her own Savior and Lord.

Her succeeding texts over the years, about Jesus, and how grateful she was to Him, is my strong assurance that, YES, she’s with Him right now, in heaven.

Now that we just celebrated another Resurrection Sunday, I am certain that for those of us who have sincerely surrendered our lives to Christ, there are no goodbyes between us and those who have died.

They have NOT “passed away.” They have, instead, “passed on” to their permanent, glorious residence in heaven.

Thank you, Lord, for the privilege of leading my friend to Christ… in season and out of season.

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