by Rev Steve Nickodemus

All Men are Like Grass…

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

“The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the Word of our God stands forever.”
Isaiah 40:8

It seems like just yesterday that we won the championship… Two of the boys in the photo are my actual sons, but every one of them became like sons to me over the four years I coached.  And just weeks ago I attended the funeral for Fernando, my star mid fielder standing on the far right of the upper row.

How can this be?  How could he die so young?  Isaiah answers, “All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field.”  We grow up early in the morning and by afternoon, we are cut down…

The boys, now young men, clustered around me at Fernando’s service.  “Coach,” they said, “we are glad you are here… this is so hard.”  And it was hard for every person there.  Death is always hard.  Grief is always hard.  And the reality of how little time we have on this earth is always before us.

In the midst of this dying, grieving, temporary world, is there anything that will not go away?  Is there anything permanent in this fading world?

The answer is in the verse above, “The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the Word of our God stands forever.”  He will not be moved.  His Word shall stand.  In Him is eternal life.  And for all who believed on Him, even as Fernando did, there is something and Someone permanent who will never leave us.

In the midst of the grief and the dying, Jesus Christ is Lord.  He is the same yesterday and today and forever.  He is the Rock that will not be moved, the Life that has no end.

And even though this life can be very hard, we will stand with Him… forever.  Amen.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado