28 May, 2008
Maria Sue Chapman Memorial
For an amazing tribute to God's faithfulness and love, go to Steven Curtis Chapman's blog and spend some time looking and reflecting and praying. A story about Maria's memorial service can be found by clicking on the link in the lower left corner of this main page...
http://www.stevencurtischapman.com/blogs.htm
Remembering Maria...
Romans 8:35-39 (NLT)
35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? 36 (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) 37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Why is today's God's Story scripture so comforting for anyone who is a follower of Christ?
Paul says that God promises His children (those who have trusted Jesus Christ as their Savior) His ongoing presence.
All of us who are followers of Christ face some hardships in life. It might be illness, suffering, persecution for our faith in Christ and for some around the world - imprisonment! The final hardship is death, BUT (this is one of the most powerful words in Scripture!) it is impossible to be separated from Jesus Christ! His death and resurrection for us proves His ultimate power which means that He keeps all of His promises to us.
The Heavenly Father gives this promise of His unending love to us so that we will feel secure in Him. His children are assured of eternity in Heaven. There's no need to be afraid.
ARE YOU ONE OF GOD'S CHILDREN? THIS IS DIFFERENT FROM BEING ONE OF GOD'S CREATION.
If you are, the separation from another believer caused by death is only temporary. We can grieve with hope and say, "See you later!"
This hope is found in God's love and promises. This is the hope that the Chapman family is living out in front of the world.
How can we connect today's God's Story scripture to our lives?
- Thank God for His love which never fails. Thank Him for His promise to never let you be separated from His love for you.
- Memorize Romans 8:39 to make this eternal hope in Christ a permanent part of your thinking and feelings.
- If you have never trusted Christ to be your personal Savior, you can do so right now. Simply admit to Him that your sin separates you from Him. Let Him know that you believe Jesus died on the cross and rose again from the dead to pay the penalty for your sins. Trust Him to be your Savior and take over the controls of your life. (Be sure to contact us at 3Story.org so that we can pray for you and send you some materials to help you grow in your relationship with Jesus.)
How can we connect today's story, God's Story and our story to others?
- Pray for comfort for the family and friends of Maria Chapman.
- Share today's story of Maria's death and what you learned in this DAIYBIDE with a friend who is interested in God's Story.
- The next time you are connected as a friend or family member to someone who dies, ask Jesus to give you a caring attitude, listening ears and the right words as you may have the opportunity to make a 3Story connection. Remember that when others see your love and perspective, they may ask you about the source of your hope.
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