Tim

Well, just over a week ago, God gave me another "unseen thing" to long for. That is my friend, Tim, in heaven. He died in a car crash on Oct. 15, but is now more alive than ever before. He has no sin, and is able to worship God perfectly. That's something I really long for.
I have seen God give so much grace through all of this. First, in comfort from God. In times like this, when pain is so great, Truth is more important than ever. My God is truly a rock to which I can cling. I can trust His promises that Tim is with Him, that this was in His sovereign plan all along, that this is good because God is good, and that the same future awaits me someday.
I also thank God for comfort from friends. I don't know how unsaved people truly feel in times of grief, but it has to be awful to hear, "I'm sorry," "He died so young," or "Well, I'm sure he's in a better place." The days following Tim's death, I heard (or read in e-mails) things like, "Read this Scripture," "Trust our sovereign God," and "Just think of Tim worshipping God right now." That is real comfort based on truth. The other option is shallow cliches based on feelings or wishes. It also meant a lot to me to know that other people were going through the same things I was. God says to comfort each other with the comfort we get from Him, and that is just His grace working through someone else.
So, now we all go on. We remember Tim and how he lived for God. But, more importantly, we allow this experience to make us more desperate for heaven than before. I long for heaven because I long to see Tim. But, far more than that, I long to see my Savior like Tim does right now. Tim has made me more homesick than before, and that is God's grace as well.