If you are a Facebook follower you know that Thursday is the day people post old photos – throwbacks – to take us back to days gone by. They are often funny – the hairstyles, the clothing, the goofy looks strike us as hilarious these years later when styles have changed.
Today a woman from a previous congregation posted a couple of photos from her wedding and a couple from her best friend’s wedding. Each of these ceremonies took place a number of years ago. I officiated at each wedding. They are significant because her best friend, who had been her Maid of Honour and for whom she had been the Matron of Honour, died last Saturday. Death came when she was only 41. She has been living with cancer for a year or so, the disease beat her, even though she fought valiantly to defeat it.
It was delightful to see the “throwback” photos of her and to be reminded of her as a smiling happy bridesmaid and a radiant bride. She leaves behind two young sons, a grieving extended family and many devastated friends. It will be a hard day for that congregation many of whom have rallied round to support her, her husband and their children over these last months.
Any death is sobering and reminds us of our mortality. The death of a vibrant, young mother just seems unfair. The Psalmist wrote, “So teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” We number our days and we realize that life is a gift that can change in a heartbeat, or the stopping of a heartbeat.
While, often Throwback Thursday photos make us laugh, they can also remind us of happy, fleeting days. In the joy let us thank God and in the grieving let us lean on God’s love.
Thank you for drawing attention to this psalm. That verse, and those following speak to me at this time. Google is a great tool, saved me from reading through 90 psalms before I found those words and “Let the favour of our Lord our God be upon us, and establish thou the work of our hands upon us, yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.”