My Little Devotional: "Distant Relations" · 1:50pm Sep 26th, 2021
(Well...this is it. The final devotional I've written for the final episode of "Friendship is Magic". Not sure if I'm going to stick with the new series long enough to do any for it. For that matter, I'm still debating whether or not Sam and Carl accidentally stepped into an experimental time machine and ended up in the distant future... Ah well, on we go.)
Inspiration for Today’s Devotional: “The Last Problem”
Being the final episode of the main series, it makes sense that this episode would cover an unexplored yet important topic. Namely, that when Twilight Sparkle, Spike, and the Mane Six are facing the immediate life change of Twilight’s ascension to sole ruler of Equestria, they wonder if this, rather than any of the interpersonal struggles and battles they faced over the years, will mean the end of the friendship they formed all the way back in the first two episodes. This is punctuated at the point when they’re about to leave the Castle of Friendship for the last time and the girls, unable to contain themselves, all begin to weep together.
There’s a lot of things that can scare us or trouble us in this world. Routine woes such as bills, demanding tasks, and tests cause their small amounts of discomfort, while major world events such as news about shootings and riots not far from where we live or things like the current pandemic can rattle us to our core. However, as we all are such social creatures, there is one fear that stands head and shoulders above them all. A fear that I can barely stand to think about and find myself constantly blocking from my mind. A fear that, as we get older, we find ourselves having to face again and again with increasing frequency.
The fear that the next time we say goodbye to someone that it will likely be the last time.
Few things for all of us are more sobering, more stressful, and tend to fill us with such a sense of emptiness and gloom than the thought that someone who we have seen as a part of our lives for a long time---perhaps as long as we can remember---is going to be gone for the rest of our lives. No matter how introverted or extroverted you claim to be, or how social or antisocial, or whether you live with a big family or a small one, there’s likely someone, or perhaps multiple someones, where if they weren’t here you don’t know what you would do.
Perhaps some of us have already had to say goodbye to individuals like that. I’ve largely been lucky in that regard as I’ve only had to do so a couple times so far, but I know what comes with it. The moment where you go over to a house or stop by somewhere or make a familiar plan that includes such individuals…and you stop yourself and realize not only will that not happen today but never again.
When it comes to death and separation, we all know that the Bible offers encouragement. Especially for believers who have accepted Christ.
“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”” (John 11:25-26)
“Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14)
And yet, if you’ve had to encounter permanent separation from someone, you probably know that verses like this are often cold comfort. That we may repeat them many times to ourselves, but even doing so won’t remove the void in our lives that was left behind. It won’t change the fact we don’t get to look at certain smiling faces anymore or get to do activities together like we used to do. It won’t change the fact we can’t turn to them when we’re happy or hurting anymore, and when we are at our own lowest we know we still can’t be with them when we need them more than ever.
A cynic might say this is some sort of “human weakness” or sign of a lack of faith on our part. Yet I don’t believe that’s true…all due to one of the shortest passages in the entire Bible and yet one of the most powerful and insightful ones.
“Jesus wept.” (John 11:35)
Lord Jesus had perfect faith in God; more perfect than any of us could ever emulate. He knew everything He was going to do and what was going to happen. When His friend Lazarus died, He even knew He was going to raise him from the dead for the glory of God. And yet, He still grieved when he was gone.
What does that say for us?
To me, it’s a reminder that all emotions…even the ones we wish we didn’t have to feel…are ultimately God-given and for a purpose. Grief and sadness, as terrible as it is to go through them, are outwards signs and signals of our own emotional hurt and our need for contact with others. They testify to us about how our connections with people are more than just factual knowledge of their existence and destiny–that we’re more attached to people at deeper levels than just superficial friendship or cooperation. That our ties with other people are bound to our emotions, possibly even our spirits in this life.
Likewise, as terrible as the fear of loss can be, it too is a God-given emotion and important. As with Twilight and her friends in this episode, as they discovered when they grieved together, it served as a sign that their relationships were things worth fighting for and maintaining above all else–no matter what changes in life they might go through or what pressures were put on them. As such, that served also as a sign to us, as well as a reminder of what is truly worthwhile in this life and where our priorities should lie. Even with the promise of resurrection there are some things in this life that will be not able to be replaced, and we should never treat the lives of our loved ones so “cheap” as to think there is.
For what very well might be my final devotional in this series, my final word of encouragement is to reach out to those in your life who are your own loved ones. Recognize how important it is to maintain relationships with people and to let them know how much you care about them, while they are still here to hear about it.
And if you truly know and believe in the promises of God about the life to come but they do not, then I encourage you to share it with them while you both still have time.
Remember that tomorrow is not guaranteed.
Suggested Prayer: “Lord God, thank you for each and every one of the friendships and loving relationships you have granted me the grace to have, as some of the most wonderful gifts I can have in this life. As with all of your gifts to me, let me never treat them as something cheap or disposable, but rather appreciate them and use them for your glory. Grant that I show the same love and care for my own relationships as Lord Jesus showed for His. Gratefully in Jesus’ Name, Amen.”
I've only gotten to read some of these along the way, but I'm very glad to have been seeing you produce them.