“Has gone to be with the Lord.” Why then I’m I so sad?

On Saturday night, I got to learn of the death of Paul Kim. My heart sunk as numerous thoughts rushed through my head about the pending (now very apparent) situation of their soon to be born child.

A few months ago, we stood with Paul and his beautiful and very visibly pregnant wife Olivia outside church as is the custom at Worship Harvest, to have a chat over a drink. We talked about work and the arrival of their bundle of Joy. Olivia said she would be due in May and Paul showed a lot of enthusiasm about their soon to be received gift. I could see the joy in his eyes! We said farewell, sat in our cars and drove away.

As I sat on my bed, thinking through the situation, I logged on to Facebook and saw friends expressing their grief. The reality is that “Paul has gone to be with the Lord.” But Why I’m I so sad?
When we hear of friends moving from one place to another, we are usually filled with excitement about the new possibilities that could be in store for them. Why then are we so mortified when friends leave us to be with the Lord?

It is because we love them and wish we could have them around forever. Friends are God’s channel through which He extends His love. They believe in us, support us, and give us a chance to grow. Olivia's loss is a unique one: we all know how important it is for a child to grow up with its father. Now that Paul is gone, we wonder who will tell Kisha about the wonderful person he was!!

Too many questions, few or no answers at all but the glaring reality for me is;
1. That we have one life. It’s short, It’s fun and worth every breath. One day, we shall also be gone but hopefully we don’t “die” before our time.

2. That God takes care of all of us and none of us can account for the blessings in their life. Health protection, wisdom, favour.... These blessings are intangible, only bestowed upon us by God, on which we can’t put a price. So you don’t have to work for everything you own.

3. That life presents its own challenges which are beyond our control. Therefore, the one thing we have control over, is the way we treat each other. Let’s quit hurting each other and instead focus on making life better for everyone. It’s possible!!

4. All this useless competition and the struggle to gain wealth at the expense of others is not worth it. Human beings are the world’s greatest resource and a vital component to experiencing life.

5. That there is enough (money, fame, husbands, wives, cars etc) for all of us. That money comes as a blessing to put us in a position to bless others. That when we die, we leave EVERYTHING behind. So why steal what belongs to another person? Why take so much and leave nothing for the others? Why beat up the woman you love?

6. That pain is real but time heals even the most broken of hearts.
The biggest joy in my heart today, is the realization that I love you my friends so dearly that If any of you were to leave without knowing how very special you are to me, I would be broken forever.
To all of you my friends, at home and around the world, I want to say that I LOVE YOU, I treasure your friendship and I’m so blessed to have you in my life. If I have not seen you or talked to you in a long time, I just want to say that all it takes is a reconnection. RIP Paul Kim.