Saying Goodbye. . .

"...sorrowing most of all for the words 

which he spoke, that they would 

see his face no more. 

And they accompanied him to the ship." 

Acts 20:38

I envision this scene of tears, sounds of snuffles, as a group walks together to a ship. Taking in every last moment of their time with Paul, and than sending him away, knowing that it was probably the last farewell. I picture the times that I have left people I love and how walking them to the car is an honor, and standing there, watching until they are out of sight, taking in the last moments of being with them. Goodbyes are hard. Plain and simple, no one likes the thought of one entering a life and than leaving. Saying goodbye in Africa always came with a question, "When will you be back?" to their innocent and hopeful minds, they think that i will return again soon, they don't understand all the logistics and finances behind coming so far. The only response I could give was, "We are going to be spending eternity together, so yes, we will see each other again someday." But as we drove away, I realized the immense price behind those words. The reality that I can speak those things and believe them, giving comfort to my heart and the heart I am leaving behind, cost my Jesus His life. It is a blessing of the accomplished work of the cross. Eternity is now open, the reality of the church being joined together as one with Him is only because of the price He paid to redeem us. The price He paid so that man wouldn't be alone. Emmanuel, God with us, God in flesh, dying so we can be with Him in eternity.

I read, "They accompanied him to the ship," and than I realize that, that was as far as they could go, they could not board that boat. No matter how much they loved Paul and no matter how passionately they desired to stay with him, it was apart of his journey that he had to take alone. No earthly man could stay beside him in the midst of things that lay ahead, only One...Emmanuel. 

Jesus would be with him every moment of the coming horizons.

A God who loved us enough to say goodbye to His heavenly throne to come and great mankind. To live among us, to die beside us, that He may live within us. To be with us in all we face. Do I realize this incredible reality of the cross? The cross nailed access to my heart, that in surrendering, I may make room for Christ to dwell. To dwell in each difficulty, in each joy, in each tear, in each decision. Christ is not just among us as the church, but indwelling our hearts. The heart that gives you the beat for everything you do. He is Emmanuel. God in my living. God in my breathing. God in my working. God in my sleeping, my laughing, my weeping, my pain, my rest...my greetings and my times of goodbyes. He is the Beginning and the End, the Author and the Finisher of our faith (Rev. 22:13, Heb. 12:2). He delights to live within us, that the world may be introduced to Him when they met us.

Application for myself:

Do i introduce Christ to the people I meet? Am I living in such a way that He is seen as Emmanuel, God with us? As I look at the calendar, I am aware that this season of farewell is quickly ending. Although it can be hard to say goodbye, and although those around me, whom I have grown to love, cannot enter the boat that awaits for me, I can rest assured that the Author of my life is ending this chapter to begin a new chapter. He had deeper things for Paul to walk into, and so He has deeper things for me to experience. Although all other surroundings may change, one thing remains, He is Emmanuel, and He is God with us, all of us, in whatever way He wills for our boat to sail away.