Reflections on life from Bishop Graham Cray
It has been a tough time these last few weeks as a church family dealing with the tragic loss of Quinn Mills, a very premature end to a very young life. These times inevitably raise questions as the thing we hold dearest (life) is removed. Our friend Bishop Graham Cray has kindly offered some wise reflections into our faith through this testing time.
"Christian faith is faith for life in a tragic and broken world. It frees us to be real, not to pretend. The death of a little child is part of that tragedy. A life with so much promise that proved to be so fleeting and flimsy. A memory only too real. Those who loved Quinn cannot but grieve, for grief is part of loving. The New Testament expects Christians to grieve the loss of precious loved ones. It is a time to be real. It just says don’t grieve without hope. (1Thess 4:13). But what hope can there be in the death of a child – only the hope based in the resurrection of Jesus. The Lord Jesus rose from the dead, because he lives, Quinn lives in him. Jesus rose, not to live a little longer, but as the conqueror of death, and as the promise and first taste of a healed world, in which there will be no more death, cancer, evil, tears or crying.
Quinn is with the Lord Jesus now.
The question is not is he still real, other than in our memories?
The question is how real are we compared with him now?
St Paul says our present lives and bodies are like a tent – vulnerable to the elements, but what God has ready for us is a house (2Cor. 5:1) He compares ‘momentary affliction’ with ‘an eternal weight of glory’ (4:17) A child in Christ makes us seem insubstantial. In the light of the
resurrection we are flimsy compared with Quinn, and with what he will become.
C.S. Lewis said that, 'the most drab human being can become in Christ so glorious that if you
saw them ‘you would be strongly tempted to worship’.
The very real pain we experience, in grief and loss, is the pain of having to wait to share that same glory."
Bishop Graham Cray
Reflections
This article is one of many that will be added on the site over the coming weeks and months, reflecting on the things that are happening in the world we live in. They are designed to provoke thought and prompt discussion. Please add your comments below.
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Dan Slatter, 06/09/2010 |
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| | | lynn (Guest) | 06/09/2010 23:38 | thanks so much for posting these wise words, grounded in the hope of the resurrection. I am going to hold on to these words for the difficult pastoral situations that come my way but also because I know some of the family in this situation and these words truly help with hurting "Jesus rose.....as the promise and first taste of a healed world, in which there will be no more death, cancer,evil, tears or crying".
Thank you dear Father for Graham Cray and for the magnificent, loving, godly family at Revelation Church. This so demonstrated to me what community with and in you is like.
| | | | Alex (Guest) | 25/09/2010 11:08 | It is at times like these that I am reminded of my human mortality. Fleeting and flimsy indeed and on so many levels. After the passing of confusion and grief and knowing Jesus is victorious. I hope for better days and with new breath and motivation to make my short life count. To count for love, for the Kingdom of God, for His church and for my KING, knowing that through Jesus I am immortal and bound to heaven.
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