We are now in holy week, and although circumstances meant I couldn’t get on the website recently (consequently have been unable to post anything in the last few days) I have still been reflecting on Scripture. This week I have been looking at the book of Philippians, which contains a number of texts that are very significant for me.

Just over 14 years ago my mum died and on her gravestone (in both English and Thai) are the words from Phil 1 v 21
‘For me to live is Christ…’

The words challenge and inspire me hugely because they are true: she lived for Jesus. The second half of that verse is also true: ‘to die is gain.‘ Mum is now in heaven. She lived and died with a sure and certain hope, a hope that rejoices because eternity is not lost.

Some people die without hope. I am now in the heart-wrenching situation of seeing my mother’s brother spend his last days in the same hospice where his sister’s life ended all those years ago. He is comfortable physically but describes himself as experiencing ‘anguish’ emotionally… I long that even now he will be reconciled with his creator, calling out to God before he slips into a lost eternity.

Sometimes we want to make decisions on behalf of those we love and yet they must choose…dying without Hope is devastating and we must do all we can to show our loved ones the way to life, because we will all stand before God one day.

“Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.” Phil 2 v 9-11

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