“He says, Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted among the earth. The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob our fortress.” Psalm 46:10,11
A month ago I never began to think in my mind we would end up where we are now. A word that repeats in my mind is a word that the Psalmists use to express a breath, taking a moment to “be still”. Selah
Words cannot do a justice to what Jon means to me, and for all of you. However, through Jon’s story, I am reminded of the moments in scripture and in history where Jesus heals a man born blind, and raising Lazarus from the dead. There is a key phrase that He says that paints the picture of both Lazarus and the blind man’s lives. For the blind man,” that the works of God might be displayed in him.” [see John 9] For Lazarus, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” [see John 11:4]
Did you catch that? The key phrases are,”So that the Son of God may be glorified,” and, “that the works of God might be displayed in him.” When Jon was ever faced with a conversation saying, “I wish I could take this away, I wish you didn’t have to fight cancer…” etc. His response was always, “Why? Why would you take away the miracles I have seen God work in my life?” He was no Lazarus, he wasn’t a blind man- but was used by Father God to display His powerful, eternal and transformative life through him.
What I thought was always incredible about Jon, is he never let his circumstances depict his view of Father God. In fact, the opposite. He had lenses that focused on a totally different life, a totally different realm. His circumstances didn’t determine how the life of Father was lived through him, the life of Father determined how Jon viewed his circumstances- and Jon was receiving of it. Because of this, Jon was not afraid of covid, cancer, nor of losing his life.
What we know is the same authority in our Lord and Savior, Jesus, who said, “For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.” John 10:17,18
Let this be known, that it wasn’t covid, or cancer- that took Jon’s life. No, they don’t deserve that power. But that Father God received Jon’s life.
We are truly thankful for the sons and daughters that surrounded him in his last few days on earth. The medical personnel who were in charge of taking care of him cried, sang praises in the name of our king Jesus Christ, and prayed along side of our family.
We are also so incredibly thankful for you all and the faithfulness and steadfastness of your prayers and love over these past few weeks and longer! Thank you for your wonderful support and love for us as a family.
So, what now? Where do we go from here? One thing that Jon would tell me is, “just don’t give the enemy that kind of leverage. Don’t let him fill your mind with lies.” Death is but a flesh wound. Even it will be under subjection under Jesus’ feet. Losing the life of a loved one isn’t a good bye anymore, but a see you later. If we are to live in a way, let us live in the abundance of our Lord Jesus Christ. After all,
“…We are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to the one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life.” 2 Corinthians 2:15,16