Stay in God's Grip!
  • Home
  • Todd's Blog
  • Remember Me When
  • Contact

 While in God's Grip!

Saying goodbye...

12/31/2018

0 Comments

 
Picture
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
~ John 14:27

Tonight we say "good bye" to another year.  A few weeks ago I was with a woman who had just lost her husband.  As we watched the funeral home place his body in the hearse, and begin to drive away, she quickly turned away and went inside her home.  She said to me, "We always made it a habit not to watch each other leave.  I don't know how it started.  I guess by not watching the person leave, in our hearts we knew that the person was just around the corner."

It struck me that in our lives we encounter "good byes," that are really just "see you later."  

In our faith, we acknowledge that death is merely a threshold that we cross into a new life.  While I have been at the bedside of a number of people who have made their first step into life eternal, I recognize that with that first step, there was also a final step.

With the final stroke of midnight, we say hello to a new year.  A new "opportunity," but yet, we know that more than likely, we will awaken tomorrow to find that we still look the same, still have the same job, family, and many of the same circumstances.  Entering the new year with hope is something that we all strive to achieve.  Allowing for change that will benefit us, and hopefully those around us.

It is the signalling to others that something is about to change, or evolve, into something different.

Each year a try not to make resolutions that I know I am not sincere about, or know that I can fulfill.  It is those things that set me up for "mid-year failure syndrome."  I don't really believe that is a diagnosis, but I have to admit, it is something that we all know a little about.

Jesus, as he prepares to leave the disciples just merely offers his "peace," to those around him.  As we say "good bye" to 2018, I think that we all would agree that welcoming 2019 into being will be very different if we begin simply with the resolution to offer "peace," to one another.

Peace be with you...

Stay in God's grip!

G. Todd Williams (c) 2018
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Rev. G. Todd Williams lives in the Houston metro area and is a Hospice Chaplain at Essential Hospice, Webster, Texas, and is an ordained Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) pastor.

    He serves as the Stated Supply to Westminster Presbyterian Church, Galveston, Texas.

    His new book, "Remember Me When..." is available through Chalice Press.

    Archives

    August 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    December 2021
    July 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017

    RSS Feed

  • Home
  • Todd's Blog
  • Remember Me When
  • Contact