Written in Stone

There are some things in life that are fleeting and temporary.  They last for a while, but then they fade away.  Other things stand the test of time.  They may become worn and weather-beaten, but they remain.  It is these things that our hope is built upon.
In Caesarea-Phillippi there was an interesting marker.  It was a cone-shaped stone with scripture etched into a metal cover, attached to a long pole.  It sat in a pit of sand and when you rolled the stone around its axis, it left Scripture verses written in the sand.

It was a fun way to see the verses written in the sand.  The only problem was that the writing was temporary.  If someone walked through the sand box, the words were obliterated and the message was lost.

On the other hand, at site after site, we found inscriptions written in stone that had endured the test of time.  They had remained true to their writer's intent for hundreds, sometimes, thousands of years.

Today, our family is mourning the loss of my wife's brother, Scott Slabaugh.  He passed away last night after a brief but painful battle with pancreatic cancer.  However, we do not mourn as those who have no hope, because we have a promise that is written in stone. 

I know that Scott is alive and well today in the arms of Jesus, because only a few days ago, I saw the place where my Savior and Scott's defeated the grave and took away death's sting.  Written in the stones of that empty tomb are our guarantees that the promises of God are true, the threats of Satan are without foundation, and that death is no longer anything to fear.  At midnight last night, Scott simply stepped through the door that took him from this life of pain and suffering to a greater life of joy and bliss in the presence of God.  We mourn our loss, not his passing.  Our tears are for the pain that separation brings and the fact that we will miss him here.  But we have promises written in stone that we have not seen the last of our dear brother.  He is enjoying the presence of the Lord and his reunion with the ones that have gone on before.  And if he could say anything to us today, I think it would be, "Hold on, it won't be long and it's worth it."