"Unexpected Death- Making Sense of the Senseless."

 

This blog is as unexpected as the topic.   My focus this month has been "Finish Strong" so we can go into 2020 ready for what God is going to do in us.  I will continue that push, but before I can keep pushing forward, I have to pause to deal with today. 

UNEXPECTED 

On Sunday December 22^nd, a strong and powerful warrior was suddenly taken from this earth.  If you don’t know her, you may Google and look for the death of a president or military head, a lawyer, politician, celebrity or world leader… but you will not find her name there.  If Google was really accurate and up to date according to God’s search engine… you could simply search SERVANT, and the face of Elaine Jolivet would appear.

You may be wondering, what made her death so different from the others that happened earlier this year, or in the years past?  Yes, it was a tragic accident, but others have died that way before.  Yes, she was someone we were used to seeing, but that is true for someone else too. You can barely scroll down a few posts before you see another post about her from someone else.  It is interesting because all of us are separated, different families, different churches, different lives…  but somehow connected  greatly by this woman!  WHY?  Because she was a servant to all, an ambassador of Christ, a voice for the hurting, an advocate for the lowly.  In a sense, she IS that president, military head, lawyer, politician, celebrity and world leader!  The only difference is that she became all things for all men, not so everyone would know her, but that she might win some.

Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.  To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law.  To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.” 

1 Corinthians 9:19-23

HOW TO COPE

It is hard to tell people that their loved ones are in a better place, when they made this place better.   I remember years ago when a well-loved man Keith Green- passed away in a plane crash along with 3 of his young, his then pregnant wife Melody left us with the scripture God gave her...

“Except a grain of wheat fall into the ground and dies, it abides alone.  But if it falls into the ground and dies, it brings forth much fruit.”  John 12:24 

What came of this revelation I will apply directly to Min Elaine:  She did her work.  She became what she was supposed to be and…. Just like Jesus, her death will bring forth fruit.   In the case of Keith Green, many people stood on the sidelines watching the work that he did.  They marveled at his ability to touch so many though he was just one man and a small ministry.  When he passed away, many thought about their own lives and what they were NOT doing.  Conviction set in and they rose up. 

“The grain of wheat died but like any seed, it brings greater fruit.”  When a good seed dies, good fruit should follow and the kingdom of God grows!

MY LESSONS

There is always something in life we can learn from.  NO matter how hurtful, how sudden or how unnecessary.  For me this is a reminder, stop playing around with these little things and get busy with the things God has called  me to do!  We are NOT promised tomorrow.  Most of us hurt because our loved ones die of old age, or a sickness gets them and we have to watch them go down, then they die. The hardest thing about a SUDDEN death, is that it reminds us that it could have been US.  I spoke to a few people who are really struggling today. As a result this is what  told them I did.  

First, I talked to God, I prayed for her family and her daughters in particular. Prayed for them to stay connected to God like their mother would want them to.  Prayed that the enemy would not get an edge to cause them to doubt God.  Then I talked to Elaine.  Yes... I talked to Elaine.  I told her what I admired about her, how great she served and how she would be missed.  I further told her what I was going to do to honor her and the void she left in the body of Christ.  I encourage you to do the same.  Tell her what you love about her, what you are proud of, how she inspired you, and what you will be doing to fill in the gap.

Grief especially during this time is so difficult because we have to juggle the intense pain with complete joy.  Don’t allow yourself to feel guilty about it, it is normal to fluctuate between pain and joyful realities and think one cannot existent with the other.  

Overall family, we are going to be okay.  We serve a God who is the Master Weaver.  Every thread in life is needed, the bright joyful colors as well as the dark one.  Many times the dark threads tend to cause the brighter ones to stand out more. When it is all said and done, when we look back from eternity and see the tapestry of life,  we will realize that even the dark threads look beautiful.  

Please continue to pray for the family of Elaine Jolivet, her daughters in particular, her church family, and her friends. Take time to grieve, take time to celebrate, take time to breathe…… breathe...