I received a phone call Saturday night with the news that Hanokh and some of his family had been a bad car accident in India. His mother and nephew have been in critical condition. After fighting for her life for two days, yesterday, Hanokh’s mother passed away.
During my short time with Mrs. Gohil, I can say that she was a woman of virtue. Being around the age of 70, she continued in her faithfulness as mother and wife of her household. Many of the nine children, though grown with children of their own, still live in the house with her and her husband. Every morning I came downstairs for breakfast, she was hard at work hand-washing the family’s laundry. She had a joyful countenance, always smiling with a precious gaze that would cause even the gloomiest heart to rejoice. Psalm 34 says, ‘those who look to the Lord will be radiant.’ Her face shinned with the light of Jesus. Mr. and Mrs. Gohil were going to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary this year, a testimony of devotion to one another. After having met all nine children, I can say that her calling as a mother was extremely successful. Her children and household are filled with the love of Jesus. She served her children and her husband and her God until the end. I feel privileged to have spent some time with her on this side of eternity.
How can one be consoled for the loss of a beloved parent? I am reminded of Paul’s words to the Thessalonians: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who have died, so that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have died. 15 For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will by no means precede those who have died. 16 For the Lord himself, with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call and with the sound of God’s trumpet, will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air; and so we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words. Though we will miss our beloved Mama Gohil, we set our hope on Jesus, knowing that there will be a day when we are reunited, never to part again.
