gone

Here one minute...gone the next...literally. When a 25-year-old friend and fellow student suddenly dies, stability is gone as we know it. The mind cannot fathom the concept of death in a literal sense - only in the abstract sense of emptiness. Questions begin to fill one's mind - questions about pain, questions about reasons, questions about questions. Events such as this suddenly bring a flood of tears, yes, for the one who died, but also for those who died before - other friends, family, and relatives. Perhaps it is the timing, or lack thereof, that catches us by surprise. Perhaps it is because the unknown sneaks up behind us. Perhaps we will never know or understand...perhaps...

Here is an email that was sent to InterVarsity Christian Fellowship members - students who loved and supported Scott, students who were blessed by his presence and wisdom, and students who were with him when he died.

Some of you know that our chapter suffered the tragic loss of fellow brother in Christ, Scott Powell, in a drowning accident Saturday at Lampsons Falls. For those who knew Scott, it is extremely difficult to think he will no longer be with us. It is sad to think that he will not be here to sing, dance, laugh and cry with us. It is sad to know that we will not be getting a hug from him this week at our meeting. It is these hard and painful things that help us realize we can take comfort in knowing that Scott is, even now, enjoying the presence of our Lord and Creator, Jesus Christ - something he longed for and spoke of often.

Ironically, in the car on the way to Lampsons Falls, Scott shared how he came to know the Lord as his Savior, how much he enjoyed being a child of God and how much he enjoyed knowing God. He even said, ‘I wish every day was Sunday.’ He said he wished he could be in the presence of God every day. He wished that he could go to, church every day and be in fellowship with other believers. He wished he could enjoy the awesome presence of the Lord everyday and not have to worry about an assignment due to next morning. Scott also showed us a hammer and chisel he had just purchased for his geology class. He shared his deep love for geology and his adoration for the world that God had created for us.

It is odd how simple statements made in the company of friends can have such profound meaning later.

It is amazing to think that now, though absent from us, he is present with God. He really can check out those streets of gold and the “Rock of Ages” for himself! He is probably up there shouting “Yes, now everyday is Sunday!” It is so hard to rejoice in times of loss, but we are confident that Scott is in a much, much better place.

The song “Home Sick” by Mercy Me seems to capture this sentiment:

You're in a better place, I've heard a thousand times
And at least a thousand times I've rejoiced for you
But the reason why I'm broken, the reason why I cry
Is how long must I wait to be with you

I close my eyes and I see your face
If home's where my heart is then I'm out of place
Lord, won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
I've never been more homesick than now

Help me Lord cause I don't understand your ways
The reason why I wonder if I'll ever know
But, even if you showed me, the hurt would be the same
Cause I'm still here so far away from home

I close my eyes and I see your face
If home's where my heart is then I'm out of place
Lord, won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
I've never been more homesick than now

In Christ, there are no goodbye
And in Christ, there is no end
So I'll hold onto Jesus with all that I have
To see you again
To see you again

And I close my eyes and I see your face
If home's where my heart is then I'm out of place
Lord, won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
Won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
Won't you give me strength to make it through somehow

I've never been more homesick than now

Scott always seemed to have one eye towards heaven and may have often felt homesick. Looking at his life, we see a man of God who was not afraid for people to know he was a Christian. He knew what it meant to seek God above all pleasures of this world. Some might have thought him different but what mattered to him was serving God with all he had. His death has illuminated that his life glorified God. He will be greatly missed, but not at all forgotten. The power of his life lives in us through Jesus Christ.