She only spoke two words on the telephone line; two words were all that was needed.

"She’s gone."

And my heart broke.

Mama had left this life.

I wondered how people could laugh and go on living like nothing had happened while I felt life had stopped completely. People still ate; still worked; still lived. But my world stopped turning completely. Even though I knew her suffering was over, I longed for one more day with my Mama … just one more hour.

But that never would have been enough.

I’ve seen the look in others eyes as they mourn a loved one gone home to be with the Lord: that look that wonders how life could simply go on; a look that wonders how they can ever go on without a person so vital to their life. A broken heart reflected in their eyes.

There are few words that truly comfort a broken heart. Most words seem meaningless and empty, bouncing around the room and finding no root of hope. The only words of comfort (for me at least) came from Jesus … "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you maybe also." John 14:1-3

While physical death turns our world upside down and inside out, we never recognize another kind of death. It is occurring all around us, and sometimes within us; a spiritual death. There are some of us on our spiritual deathbed and we don’t recognize it for what it is. We are so busy living, we forget to pray … to study … to witness … to love. We are all guilty of being spiritually dead sometimes.

It is time to WAKE UP! It is time to let God breathe the breath of life into us and live again. We have a job to do in this world, and it seems we are failing. It is time to be about our Father’s business. If our world stops when a fellow believer in Christ goes home, what about those who pass from this life who do not belong to Christ? Did anyone stop to share the Good News with him? Did anyone say a prayer for him in this life? While we have hope in Christ, what does the unbeliever have? … Nothing.

We must be about our Father’s business. It is time to rise up and be who we are called to be … the light of the world.

Awaken Women is right around the corner. It will feature guest speakers, praise and worship, and the breath of God. Make plans now to attend Awaken Women on October 25th, 9am-1pm, at the DeKalb Community Complex.