Therefore, as God’s chosen people,
holy and dearly loved,
clothe yourselves with compassion,
kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
(Colossians 3:12 NIV)
Last week I sent out texts to the people in our “Life Group” at church to remind them of our upcoming dinner. I received a message back from one couple that they wouldn’t be able to attend because her mother had passed away that morning. Mom had lived with them for ten years because she had dementia and couldn’t care for herself, but I didn’t realize she had taken a turn for the worse. (Although, if you think of it, “the worse” – being in heaven – isn’t worse at all!! Paul said that for a believer to be with Jesus is “better by far!” AMEN!) I thought of this woman caring for her mom, of another friend who cared for her mom in her home for several years, and of my aunt who lives with my 102 year old grandmother who was put on hospice care 18 months ago. Two of the other adults in our Life Group have cared for and then lost spouses to cancer. These situations of caretaking are challenging, to say the least. Even with professional help, the day-in, day-out grind of caring for the physical needs, not to mention emotional, social, financial, and spiritual needs, of someone who is ill and fading can be grueling.
Paul’s letter to the Colossians tells them to “clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience,” all of which would be necessary for long-term caregiving of a loved one. I was wondering, were I in that situation, what other things I would need, and hope, strength, and grace came to mind. Hope for my loved one’s gentle and graceful passing into eternity, and strength to endure with grace the time we have left together on earth. Today, would you join me in praying for these caretakers?
Merciful God,
Thank you for the gift of time spent with loved ones. Thank you for the opportunity – however challenging it may be – to care for and honor those who are at the end of their earthly lives. We pray that they would be children of the Most High God, and that their passing into eternity would be as smooth, pain-free, and merciful as possible. Today, Lord, we come to you interceding for those who care for these loved ones. We pray that you would pour out on them your compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Give them your sweet grace and strength in great measure. Provide help, financial resources, wisdom for decisions, and everything else they need in this process. Give them great encouragement and hope so they are strengthened in every good word and deed. Help them to hope in you, and to renew their strength in you so that they will not grow weary, but will serve their loved ones with endurance in this season of life. Bless each of them, keep them, shine your face upon them, be gracious to them, and grant them peace, we ask in Jesus’s name, AMEN.
Those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint. (Isaiah 40:31 NIV)
May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word. (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 NIV)
The Lord bless you
and keep you;
the Lord make his face shine on you
and be gracious to you;
the Lord turn his face toward you
and give you peace. (Numbers 6:24-26 NIV)
If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. (Philippians 1:22-24 NIV)