A church member and former college mate of my co-workers just drown in a canoeing accident last week here in Kansas. As I understand it, a few brothers in the Lord had been working on building friendships with some men they had worked with at a side job they all held at a local steak house. While rafting and canoeing through some common waters where they crossed a spillway, the night had come too soon upon them and the canoe went over an unforeseen (by them) waterfall which capsized the boat. Some of the men were found downstream and physically saved. Two others, Christian men, had gone missing for around a day. Later they were found, but without oxygen or life in their bodies.

Not knowing them msyelf, only seeing the seriousness and concern on the faces of the friends around me who did, I tried to feel the right feelings for what the remaining family/ies must be going through. When all returned from the funeral I was ready to still remain somber, until I learned of this amazing story:

The wife of one of the men retrieved the palm pilot he was wearing on the day of the accident. On it, she found the daily reading devotional from Charles Spurgeon, through our modern day friend, Alistair Begg. I will end on that reading, and leave it to you to be in tender awe of how our Lord may prepare us for those things we might most dread.

Psalm 33:21 Blessed is the fact that Christians can rejoice even in the deepest distress; although trouble may surround them, they still sing; and like many birds, they sing best in their cages. The waves may roll over them, but their souls soon rise to the surface and see the light of God's countenance; they have a buoyancy about them that keeps their head always above the water and helps them to sing amid the tempest, "God is with me still." To whom shall the glory be given? Oh, to Jesus-it is all by Jesus. Trouble does not necessarily bring consolation with it to the believer, but the presence of the Son of God with him in the fiery furnace fills his heart with joy. He is sick and suffering, but Jesus visits him and makes his bed for him. He is dying, and the cold, chilly waters of Jordan are gathering about him up to the neck, but Jesus puts His arms around him and cries, "fear not, beloved; to die is to be blessed; the waters of death have their fountainhead in heaven; they are not bitter-they are sweet as honey, for they flow from the throne of God." As the departing saint wades through the stream, and the billows gather around him, and heart and flesh fail him, the same voice sounds in his ears: "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God." As he nears the borders of the infinite unknown and is almost frightened to enter the realm of shades, Jesus says, "Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." Thus strengthened and consoled, the believer is not afraid to die; no, he is even willing to depart, for since he has seen Jesus as the morning star, he longs to gaze upon Him as the sun in his strength. Truly the presence of Jesus is all the heaven we desire. He is at once The glory of our brightest days; The comfort of our nights.