PRAISE THE LORD FOR FAMILY AND FRIENDS

Today, our family laid to rest my grandson, Corey Douglas Wilcoxen.  I was dreading it for several reasons, especially looking at him lying in a coffin.  But when I arrived at the funeral home, grateful for being the first one there in case I would fall apart, I discovered seeing him there was not as bad as I had thought.  Even though the funeral director had done the best he could to repair the damage done by the head-on collision that killed him, it did not look like the Corey I knew and loved.  His lifeless body was just an empty shell; Corey wasn't in that casket.  In fact, Corey was no where to be found on this planet; Corey was alive and well, and just beginning an eternity with Jesus Christ, his Savior.  The Word of God says in 2 Corinthians 5:8, "We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord." Knowing that he had trusted in Jesus, and knowing that the Word, God's Word, cannot lie, I had total peace!  Just as Jesus is alive, so is Corey!

I know there are some who knew Corey, who judged his relationship with God based upon some of his stupid decisions, and his far-from-perfect life, who think it is impossible for him to be in heaven.  But that just shows how little they know about God, and His mercy (forgiveness for sin), and His grace (the undeserved gift of eternal life).  Scripture states in Titus 3:4-7: 

"But after that the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior; that being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life."

Corey is not in heaven because he was a good Christian; he is not there because he was a good husband; he is not there because he was a good father; Corey is there because he loved Jesus, and it is Jesus, who is good!  Even though a person accepts Christ, he is still flawed, he still sins (Rom.7:15-25)!  And all who truly know Christ, know that they did not deserve salvation, nor will they ever!  That is what makes our God so awesome!  His mercy and His grace!

I want to thank the members of my family who spent hours preparing meals, picture montages, and taking care of Corey's kids so Hope could stay with Alex (she is to have surgery tomorrow, so pray for her).  I want to thank the many members of my church who travelled so far to be there for us.  I want to thank the staff of Tucker, Yocum, and Wilson Funeral Home for all their compassion on Corey's family and friends.  I want to thank Corey's friends from school, from his work, from his favorite tattoo parlor; I am sorry if I am forgetting anyone.  God bless every one of you; and He does that best when you, by letting His Son be your Lord, become His child (John 1:12)!