I had just gotten comfortable, finding a pillar to rest my aching back, sitting snugly opposite to the pastor presiding. It was an evening prayer, believers were beginning to arrive – I was early. Pastor received a phone call, it was very unusual of him to answer calls during prayers. 10 mins later, he had a word with the elder sister sitting diagonally from him, and he left church abruptly. There was a mounting noise of restrained chatter as believers were trying to decrypt what had just happened.

Apparently, Timothy (20) passed away.

Tim was a member of our church and a special kid, like Daniel from the Bible I’d say. He suffered from epileptic siezures from an early age and had finally succumbed to his sickness. I did not know him or his family personally. But I heard his testimony, a couple of years ago. He professed his love for God with such zest and vigour, it was infectious. He narrated incidents from his personal and college life, of his physical and teenage weaknesses and, how the mighty hand of God had delivered him from the cusp of temptation preserving his soul from damnation. He was neither ashamed to confess his wrongdoing before the congregation nor glorify God unabashedly for His grace that redeemed him. The congregation felt his fervour in His born-again joy and glorified God.

Fast forward to two years, and today. Timothy is no more. My head too was soddened in sorrow thinking of his parents, and just the unexpected news shook me a bit. I spent that evening thinking only of Timothy, his life and character, family and college mates and the great work of God that was completed in him. I was indeed overpowered by God’s great mercy, because he had chosen the good part, lived fruitfully in the vineyard of God and now had gone to be with his Saviour.

The following saturday was his funeral service. All four of us from our family cladded in white were present, even before the chairs were lined or the mats were rolled out. There was an auro of majisterial glory, however the sadness of the assembled was felt. Within half an hour, the church was overflowing with family members from home and abroad, his friends, classmates, believers from different churches, acquaintances and neighbours. Amidst the silence, I could feel a resounding question clouding the walls of the church from the unbeleivers that were pouring in from all sides, “How can this be?”

But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to Him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?” Does not the potter have the right to make from the same lump of clay one vessel for special occasions and another for common use?  – Romans 9:20,21

What do YOU think, dear reader? Do you also think that it is the responsibility of God to prolong the lives of people because they believe and trust in God? Is seeking God a means for personal gain? Then you don’t get God. I for one, freaking love God because He freaking loves me infinite times more. Jesus and I are in an amorous relationship, so much so that He voluntarily chose to die for me to show His love? God’s love IS crazy. He does not control, dominate, fight or disappoint you. He is faithful, loving, compassionate, understanding, wise and is an absolute sweetheart. I mean, even if you ignore or hurt Him, He will love you just the same. C’mon, for how many people in your life can you say the same, huh? Anyway, coming to Timothy and why I feel it is a win for Timothy to have gone on so young is because he found and fulfilled his purpose on earth. It only makes sense for us to leave to where we came from after a job well done.

Why wait around for nothing?

In Forest Gump, Tom Hanks ran from one situation in life to another. One misery to another. One failure to another. One country to another. Yet in his pain-laden life, he kept few things constant. His love for his girl. His love for his mother. His love for his friend. His wisdom to run from things that ruined him. His resilience to start new after every blow. His determination to build on new grounds.  His tolerance to persist through hardships. His humility to never let his successes control him.  He lived a good life. He continued in love. He saved his own life and enriched the lives of those he loved. He gave without receiving, and some more without murmuring. He kept his promise.

Timothy had a turbulent life because of his illness, but the 500+ loved ones who thronged at his coffin told me he lived an exemplary life of love and obedience to God. I am not concluding this by the no. of people who came to pay his last respects. I say it because of the testimonies shared by them of his strength of character, the glory of God that had descended during the entire service and the invincible movement of the Holy Spirit in our midst. The poor and rich, young and old had great words of praise and adulation for the young man and even after his 2 days without life, his face shone with celestial glory. These are not small matters. Haven’t you read, the quality of life led by a person is made manifest from the way he goes out? And boy, did Timothy go out with the mighty band of the holy angels or what! So really, Timothy’s demise is not a loss for him or his family, because he lived out his purpose as destined by his heavenly Father. Am sure he had a great welcome home party!

P.S. I believe in the resurrection of the dead at Rapture i.e. when Jesus will come again to this earth the second time. That’s when Timothy will go to Heaven. Now his soul is in hibernation or simply resting.