As Jesus prepared his disciples for his death on the cross and resurrection to new life he said: "I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live you also will live. On that day you will know that I am in the Father, and you in me, and I in you." (John 14:18-20)
As I stood with a friend at his mother's funeral, I was aware that he and I were both orphans- our parents had both died and even though we were fully grown adults, that we were orphans. Then the funeral started and Pastor Laura read this line from John 14, a line that often gets left out in the funeral litany, and I heard Jesus speaking those words to me and my friend for the first time. It is a comfort to know that even when our earthly parents do pass on, that we have the promise from Christ that we are not orphans. We have a heavenly Father to care for us, and protect us and advise us, and keep a room for us in his house.
As an earthly father and grandfather, I hope all my children and children-in-law and grandchildren and grandchildren-to-be know that there is always a place in my house for them. As a spiritual father at Covenant, I hope and pray that my spiritual children and grandchildren will know that this home, Covenant Presbyterian Church, is their home. They are always welcomed here. They don't need a reservation. They/we are family.
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