Regarding Grief

Based on Colossians 1:1-29, Psalm 117:1-2, and Jeremiah 5:21-6:20.

Moan and weep, my heart, for the departure of this dear friend from the earth. Thus says the LORD, Know this: that your prayers and supplications on her behalf have been heard, and she has been welcomed into paradise because the Father qualified her to be a partaker of the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has delivered her from the power of darkness and conveyed into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom she has redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. 

For it pleased the Father that , in Christ, all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by having made peace through the blood of His cross. And this lamb, who once was alienatetd and an enemy in her mind, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death to present her holy and blameless and above reproach in His sight. I therefore now rejoice for the mystery God has revealed to her, to me, and to all His saints. To us, God has made known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, our hope of glory. Him we preach, warning and teaching in all wisdom that everyone may be presented perfect in Christ Jesus. To this end I also labor, striving according to His working in me and through me for the sake of His Body, which is the church of which I became a minister according to the stewardship given to us from God to fulfill His Word of God, the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but has now been revealed to His saints.

Thus spoke Jeremiah for the LORD, saying, "Hear this, oh foolish people without understanding, who have eyes to see and see not, and who have ears to hear and hear not. Ask for the old paths where the good way is, and walk in it. Then  you will find rest for your souls. Hear, oh earth, for your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet to Me." Therefore, I do not cease to pray, asking that many may be filled with the knowledge of God's will and walk worthy of the LORD, fully pleasing to Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God, strengthened according to His glorious power for all patience and longsuffering with joy.

My mourning shall be turned to joy, this grief into glory, for God has heard my prayers in Christ, the firstborn over all creation. Jesus, You are the Christ, our Savior and LORD! You are head of the Body, Your church. You were in the beginning, and then You made man  to become the Passover Lamb for us, the firstborn from the dead in order that, that in all things, You might have the pre-eminence. Rejoice, oh my soul, for in Christ every person may be presented perfect before God the Father. To this end, I commit to labor by the grace of Your Holy Spirit to pray in faith, believing that Christ will make known the riches of Life in Him. For His merciful kindness is great toward us, and His truth endures forever.

This is a photograph I took this morning, when I saw a refrigerator magnet for the first time (my husband says it's been there for ages). It's the word "time" turned upside-down. Just saying!