HOME FREE

This week I have chosen to go a different direction with this blog by choosing a rather contemporary song and making some very personal comments.  I trust that you will bear with me and I will return to the hymns next Sunday.  On Saturday my late brother, Terry, was part of the first class to be inducted into the Lancaster Lebanon League Hall of Fame for officials and administrators.  I actually had nominated him and am thrilled that he was chosen as part of the very first class.  He was an outstanding athlete, wrestling official, coach and athletic director and certainly deserved this honor.  Unfortunately he didn't receive it before he was called home to heaven almost four years ago after a 15 year battle with prostate cancer.  On Friday I was reminded of the months before his death when I heard, on the radio, this week's song.  It was one of Terry's favorites, especially in his last days, and it was sung at his funeral.  The song was written by Wayne Watson and it won the Pop/Contemporary Song of the Year for 1992.  During Terry's final months of battle he regularly sent out emails to many of his friends and prayer partners.  His words and attitude challenged us and he seldom showed signs of discouragement.  He knew, without a doubt, where he would be after his death.  And while his death came rather unexpectedly for most of us, we think he sensed that he would soon be home free. And we did stand in the corridors of the hospital that day praying for more heartbeats for him. But his healing was to be in heaven.  During the past few years we have watched many of our close friends pass on to heaven.  In fact, all the men in our wedding party are now with the Lord.  And while we prayed for their healing here, they experienced the ultimate healing in glory.  I don't know why the Lord calls good people home so early in their earthly lives, but thankfully we do have the hope and assurance that they are now healed and rejoicing in a much better place.  I don't know what situation you are facing today, but I pray that if you are living underneath the sea of grief that you will be able to say and mean, as my brother did, "Thy will be done".  Over the years, by his life, Terry taught me much about how to live the Christian life.  But in his last days he taught me much about how to die with hope.  And that is a lesson we all need to learn since one day each of us who are believers in Christ will also be home free.

I'm trying hard not to think You unkind

But Heavenly Father

If You know my heart

Surely You can read my mind

Good people underneath the sea of grief

Some get up and walk away

Some will find ultimate relief

Home free, eventually

At the ultimate healing

We will be home free

Home free, oh I've got a feeling

At the ultimate healing

We will be home free

Out in the corridors, we pray for life

A mother for her baby

A husband for his wife

Sometimes the good die young

It's sad but true

And while we pray for one more heartbeat

The real comfort is with You

You know pain has little mercy

And suffering's no respecter of age

Of race or position

I know every prayer gets answered

But the hardest one to pray is slow to come

Oh Lord, not mine, but Thy will be done

Let it be

Home free, eventually

At the ultimate healing

We will be home free

Home free, oh I've got a feeling

At the ultimate healing

We will be home free

Home free, eventually

At the ultimate healing

Gonna be home free

Home free, oh its more than a feeling

At the ultimate healing

Gonna be home free

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