On July 30th of this year I met Tim. It was a 45 second 'across the room' encounter consisting of some friendly banter about real estate and the weather. I was surprised how much he knew about me and I continued to fill my plate and wandered back out to the pool never to see him again, ever. In my mind I had just added Tim to my "friend" list. In that brief moment he was kind, funny, generous, and interesting.
On August 30th I attended Tim's funeral. Of the 4 funerals I've attended in my life I never imagined one would bring so much laughter, so much fondness, and so much heartfelt gratitude and appreciation from everyone who spoke about Tim's life and friendship. I had encountered his "big as life" persona and absorbed every passionate expression of his life amongst the 536 people that filled Saint Ambrose Church.
It was "all good" so to speak, almost too good, and that nagged at me a bit . . . well, because we're all inherently flawed in some way . . . but I was happy and content knowing the Tim that I did. And hearing his stories from his lifelong friends I chose to accept all the "goodness" and to believe that Tim was amongst the best of my friends.
From my corner of the Church I began to realize that this too is how our God chooses to see those who accept Christ as His son and as their salvation . . . as "all good". That like Tim's gathering of friends God's Holy Spirit and Son intercede for us, they plea on our behalf, they assist in relaying only the best of our lives, and we are washed pure; cleansed clean; and adopted as faultless through a Christ that calls us His own.
The Intercession of Christ.
Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace ~ Hebrews 4:14-16
The Intercession of God's Holy Spirit.
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. ~ Romans 8:26-27
The Result.
In Christ you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. ~ Ephesians 1:13-14
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