“Beyond What We Could Imagine” – Sermon on Aug 26, 2012 Guest speaker Chris Cathcard
Scripture: Ephesians 3: 14 – 21 August 26, 2012
This is why I kneel before the Father. Every ethnic group in heaven or on earth is recognized by him. I ask that he will strengthen you in your inner selves from the riches of his glory through the Spirit. I ask that Christ will live in your hearts through faith. As a result of having strong roots in love, I ask that you’ll have the power to grasp love’s width and length, height and depth, together with all believers. I ask that you’ll know the love of Christ that is beyond knowledge so that you will be filled entirely with the fullness of God.
Glory to God, who is able to do far beyond all that we could ask or imagine by his power at work within us; glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus for all generations, forever and always. Amen.
Sermon: Beyond What We Could Imagine by Christine Cathcart
When I read the email from Pastor Doreen asking for someone to preach the sermon it struck me that one of the dates that she was asking about was the anniversary of one of the darkest days of my life. I decided that it would be a perfect day to remember and I agreed.
August 26, 1997 was the day that I was told that my first baby would not be born alive. I was told that they couldn’t see a heartbeat and that I should go home and tell my family. I would deliver this child but his home would not be with me – it would be with God.
I delivered Nicholas David on Aug. 28th just after midnight on my Great Grandmother’s birthday. I counted his fingers and toes. I kissed his tiny head. I cried. I said goodbye.
As I planned his funeral with my minister, I remember him saying to me, “It is not as if we are celebrating a life . . .” A line he later came to regret for I looked at him and replied, “But that is exactly what we are doing.”
A few days later I stood at his grave looking out at the 60 or so people who came to his “private graveside service” to support me – I knew they were there to support me because none of them knew my tiny bundle of joy, but they loved him anyways because he was so very loved by me. He touched them as he had touched me. In his short life he managed to touch many people and continues to touch me on a daily basis.
I’d like to share a poem that is very special to me. It was the first page of a card that was sent to me by my Aunt Kathy when my son, Nicholas was born still. I read it at his funeral – and then hers, and now I’d like to read it to you:
His Journey’s Just Begun by Ellen Brenneman
Don’t think of him as gone away – –
His Journey’s just begun
Life holds so many facets
This earth is only one.
Just think of him as resting
From the sorrows and the tears
In a place of warmth and comfort
Where there are no days and years.
Think how he must be wishing
That we could know today
How nothing but our sadness
Can really pass away.
And think of him as living
In the hearts of those he touched . . .
For nothing loved is ever lost – –
And he was loved so much.
Every time the sun shines or the flowers bloom or the stars shine brilliantly, I know that my child is with me, wanting to show his love just like when Ben gives me a hug or Andrew snuggles close or Liam picks me a dandelion. I celebrate his life every day because I am grateful to God for giving him to me – even for a short time.
“Most people only dream of Angels, but I held one in my arms . . . My days are richer, my moments sweeter, because he touched my life.” Author unknown.
Since joining this church, I have had several people speak to me about how they have noticed that I have a deep faith. Some have even said they wished that their faith was as strong as mine. On several occasions, when I have approached Pastor Doreen with yet another of life’s trials she has asked me where God is in all of this for me and I have often answered, “I don’t know.” But yet, I guess I knew all along that God is showing me what to do next. Whether or not I listen is up to me, but in my heart and soul and fiber of my being I know that God is there. Without doubt. I know this because I have been touched by God.
I first noticed I was touched by God when I held my still little child in my arms and knew the greatest love and sorrow that I had ever known. Our Creator touched me again with love and sorrow when I miscarried my 2nd and then 5th children, Robin Lee and Special Baby Cathcart. But I was also shown great love and joy with the births of Ben, Andrew and Liam.
Helen Keller said, “I believe that life is given us so that we may grow in love, and I believe that God is in me as the sun is in the color and fragrance of a flower.” I agree.
Many of you have increased my faith by being my support, my family, my friends through all of life’s trials. God sent you to me so that I would know that my Faith is true. So that I would not abandon my faith when life just kept pushing me down. Many of you have commented to me about how well I am doing since the most recent tragedy in my life and my response to that is in this quote from Patrick Overton, “When you have come to the edge of all light that you know and are about to drop off into the darkness of the unknown, Faith is knowing one of two things will happen . . . there will be something solid to stand on or you will be taught to fly.”
I have learned that God does answer our prayers – maybe not in the ways we are expecting and maybe not even how we want but if we have faith and open eyes we will see that He answers them. This quote from an author unknown to me says it all, “Keep praying, it’ll come true. It may not be in the exact package that you wanted but it’ll be what God thinks is best for you.”
I believe that God does not make bad things happen. Our Creator mourns with us, cries with us and rejoices with us. She is there for us because we are her Children. We are worthy because we were created in God’s image. God is in each one of us.
So the next time that you question your own faith, I hope you will remember this day and my story. Remember that in my darkest days, I was given a precious gift. I would not have known it was a gift if my Faith had not been strong and my eyes wide open. It’s my hope that you will dig deep and find your own faith, open your eyes wide and look for the package that you weren’t expecting, the gift that your Mother, the Creator knew was what you needed. The next time you need some Faith remember to look me up – I have lots to go around.
Today is no longer a dark day for me – it is now a day that I celebrate how I was touched by the short life of a special child, my child, Nicholas. In two days I will celebrate and mourn, his 15th birthday and my Faith tells me that our Father will be with me to celebrate and mourn. Please say a prayer in celebration of how you were touched and taught about a great faith by the short life of my special child.
I will leave you with this quote by an unknown author:
“Faith spans the chasm of my doubting soul, reaches out to Hope, living Hope. And Love makes the way, each next step, each new day.”
