Scripture Scribbles: November 14, 2021

the Gospel

Mark 13 : 24-32

Jesus said to his disciples:

"In those days after that tribulation

the sun will be darkened,

and the moon will not give its light,

and the stars will be falling from the sky,

and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.

"And then they will see 'the Son of Man coming in the clouds'

with great power and glory,

and then he will send out the angels

and gather his elect from the four winds,

from the end of the earth to the end of the sky.

"Learn a lesson from the fig tree.

When its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves,

you know that summer is near.

In the same way, when you see these things happening,

know that he is near, at the gates.

Amen, I say to you,

this generation will not pass away

until all these things have taken place.

Heaven and earth will pass away,

but my words will not pass away.

"But of that day or hour, no one knows,

neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."

the devotion

We were not ready for the news.

We were not prepared for the phone call. It was my father in law's voice telling my husband that his mother was gone. Sitting straight up in bed and hearing the pain in my husband's voice saying, “I’ll be right there.” The tears burnt my cheeks and my hands held onto the baby inside my belly, that would never meet his Granny. The sadness was extreme, overwhelming. The thought of my husband, his dad, his brother and his sisters, these 13 and counting grandchildren, who would not hear their Granny laugh again. It was truly a huge loss, one we weren't prepared for.

In the Gospel today it talks about the tribulation, “the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light.” In those days after Granny’s death, the sun felt darkened and the moon felt like it was not giving us light. It goes on to say, “When you see these things happening, know that He is near, at the gates.” I do believe in those days, 16 years ago, He did draw near to us. The gift of family was amazing, the blessings of these young lives running around at our feet. This new life that came healthy and happy one month later, and another 8 months later. The gift of honoring her with their names. The life she lived was one of love and faithfulness.

An example of what's truly important in life. The lessons I have learned from this woman I’ve cherished every day since. Lessons I didn’t realize she was teaching me at the time. How family is most important and it's better and more fun for everyone if we know how to laugh at ourselves. Also, we don't know when we will be called from this earth. “But of the day or the hour, no one knows.” Since that cold November morning 16 years ago, my faith has grown more than I could have ever imagined. Realizing, we are not made for this world, we are made for Heaven, we are called to be Saints. Preparing for that will take a lifetime, however long that lifetime here on earth will be. Let’s listen to these Gospels and let His Word guide us toward Him and toward Heaven!

What if we all leave this world having prepared our loved ones a little more for the next?

So even though we were unprepared for her leaving us, I believe she was more prepared from a life well lived than I realized.

Today’s devotion was written by Beth Brennan.