After Darkness, Light; After Struggle, Home!
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Dear Dykstra & Veenstra Families, Friends, and dear Congregation,
What makes you sing for joy, cry for beauty, what leaves you with a lump in your throat - can hardly utter word in amazement at how wonderful it is? Sure moments in your life experienced a bit of that. Well, your mother, grandmother, our sister in Christ, wanted nothing less than for you and all who came to her funeral - to experience that as fully as possible - as you consider not just her life, but the strong and certain Christian hope - with which she lived her life, and by which she has journeyed through even death. She told me of a funeral she recalled in which the people - in utter amazement just left the church with huppejes! Like Hupp hold hupp - hop up for joy - in utter amazement for what lies ahead for those in Christ. And with the family one of their family’s life-text’s Psalm 139 speaks even symbolically of their journey across the sea to this land, but also of a journey from this earth into life everlasting; and with the Psalm that was dearest to her in our last visit Psalm 23.
Key Truth: For those who take the Lord’s hand in this life journey, there is light after darkness, and there is home after struggle and wondering journey!
Both psalms, traveling songs which hit every experience every emotion of our existence, Holy Spirit gives to us to shape our feelings, move our will, fill our hearts and minds with understanding. Like national anthems, these songs given to shape us, and especially in life’s final enemy death, the Devil, and hell. These are God’s travelling songs, which we must learn. And these to travelling songs both begin in the midst of life journey, from there they go to life’s most anguished battle, and then to what Riet had such a clear vision of the final destination.
A. Life’s Journey through a broken World.
i. In Psalm 23 the journey may surprise you - we hear of sheep and farming and we think of barn with pasture and all this lush green and well with water tha never runs out. But the picture here, as you can still experience if you were to visit Israel or Jordan today, is shepherding in the wilderness. Each day lead sheep out to new part of hilly, dry wilderness, vein of water, scrubby bushes and herbs (which eventually make them tasty for meat), And isn’t that what our life in a broken earth is kind of like, it’s no picnic for any of us, let alone those growing up in eco depression of 1930’s and then WWII and post-war fall out. Wonderful opportunity across the sea, but also such struggle. And you get a job, make a business, raise some kid, s live in community = and so many wonderful things - but so much struggle, and heartache too. What kept Riet hopping through this part of life - you can tell something happened to her that - she had no want - didn’t live a graspy life complaining or bitter, but content and provided by the Lord so lived a giving life - Why?
Look at the green pastures in the wilderness of this life - how did she get to them?
Look at the waters she drank at? Do you know this world thirsting for pleasure, a joy and meaning - but they go too the fastest flowing fullest streams = kind of like trying to get a drink from a hose, but imagine someone - attaches it to a fire hydrant. Kind of like trying to stuff out lives with greatest vacations, fanciest homes and possessions, - hearts restless and more we drink the thirstier we get.
Well, you know Riet wasn’t like that again why - in the midst of her journey the Lord himself provided what she needed. He himself - had green pastures, along the way - every week His word and His praises - ministered to her, Everyday his word guided and directed, and promises claimed, received. And then there is is the still waters, Jesus led her too. Two types of water in middle east. Not like Canada where we have 1/3 of the worlds fresh water, nor like Netherlands every where you look water. Precious commodity, so much is standing water, that’s not the still water here, undrinkable like that in a ditch. But Living Water that flows just gently enough to actually drink it! That’s God’s grace. Listening to classic rock station, old time rock n roll, unprompted Reuben who sings those words - say not true - what ‘s better is GRACE - not a substance or idea - but that’s a relationship of unconditioned love that never ends to you - that what really soothes and waters and changes one soul.
And that’s exactly, what is so need in this stage of life the journey - actually find God’s Shepherd Jessus Christ - and the promises is that when that happen.
He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Interesting word, like that of prodigal son - tired of trying to drink from fire hydrants of this world, ashamed of missteps, crushed by suffering, returns to His Father - but Father runs to - no talk of what he had done, no talk of paying it back - just sheer grace - status of beloved son. He restores my soul
ii. Well, this also is the message of the beginning of Psalm 139:1-10 The description is of what we all sense in some way: God’s omnipresence. In this wilderness journey of life - sense God is everywhere - hints of his glory, little God calling cards all around us. Every part of the journey - minds, conscience, in youth, in our old age , in holland, in the uttermost parts of the sea, across the ocean like Canada.
Like what water is to a fish, God is to us . And for some that knowledge isn not just too mind boggling to understand, but its is unwelcome, and as Romans 1 puts it as fallen sinners we want to push all this presence of God away, suppress the truth,and live without God’s presence in our lives.
But listen to the response of one choosing to find the Lord as her life shepherd: You go to the E, you go all the way to the W across the sea to this lnand Psalm 139:9-10
If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.
And here is the truth you must wrestle with in the wilderness journey part of life: God is present for all of us everywhere. But He is not present in the same way everywhere. Only present in a saving way - when His Word and His promise, embraced with faith - and that's how your Mother welcomed the provision and saving presence of Jesus.
But that brings us to the next stage in the journey, which is the inescapable struggle all of us must face and which ultiatmely being our lives to a climax.
B. Finding the LORD in Life’s Most Anguished Battles
Both of these travelling songs equip us for the inescapable battles with life’s two greatest enemies. The darkness of evil and the evil one, and the darkness of death. You know this so well from Psalm 23:4
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
There is a gloom and dark shadow that all of us must walk through in this life. There is evil within and evil without. And that experience of the dark night of the soul, that spiritual psychological darkness - like a suffocating wet blanket - sucks all the joy, confidence, and fellowship out of life - this isn’t death itself physically - it is a deadness that sin and evil and suffering alone brings.
And the Psalmist teaches us that for those who have found the Lord with them in the suffering, in their spiritual darkness, even in their sin - that kind of evil is a shadow. If there were fire breathing dragons in this world, and one flew over head write now -how many of you would be afraid - that kind of fear not only natural but it is fitting and appropriate response. But here the Psalmist teaches us for us - death and even evil and suffering - aren’t the fire breathing dragon that we fear them to be; they some how have just become a shadow.
Now that’s a great mystery - that Riet knew the - this death look s pretty real and final doesn't it. The pain and sorrow , the failures and short comings - they all look pretty real and not like a harmless shadow.
But listen - Jesus Christ who bore our human sorrows, took on our every sin, who died not only a real physical death in our place, but he died the final and ultimate death, spiritual death, even lie infinite eternal death - out of pure love - so we would never have to face the fire breathing dragon of death that consumes forever in eternal separation from God in eternal punishment tin hell. Jesus said, don’t do it to them, don’t do it to Rier do it to me. And Christ turned the wages of sin which is death into a shadow to all who rely on Him, who takes His death as their own. That’s the mystery of what Jesus said at his friends grace, I am the Resurrection and the life he who believes in me, even though he die , yet shall he live!
And he says all who hear my voice - believe this promise, not only die with me, but they will hear my voice - now and rise with me. That’s what Psalm 23 is talking about - death and Satan and all the evil in thiw world, doesn’ win, and God sets a banqueting table on the other side, a victory table - and he anoints our heads with oil.
ii. This victory over death and evil in life’s greatest climax also described in the middle of your family Psalm 139.
Through all the winding ways and days of a persons life, all the struggle and journeying. Look what the Psalmist says: Psalm 139:16
Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.
Well, now all those days are up - some meant to hurt , devil to destroy her faith, cancer to suck the joy out - these were the days with all its wonders and struggles formed for Riet Dykstra - the psalmist think so God’s book of Riet’s life before any of the days came to be, but now all f them have come to be and now what? What is the sum and point of such a life. Do we sigh and say well that was pretty good but its over now? DOn’t you know that God has put eternity in the hearts of all people but who can figure it out. Well, Jesus did for us!
Listen to the Psalmist in Ps 139:18
If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you.
Riet has more than slept, her body has succumbed to the sleep of death and her soul has come before the judgment seat of our Lord. And she has awoken after such sleep in away beyond imagining.
This is what it means that all the evil and death and darkness cannot have victory over God or over any who are united to him in faith. He will bend it all to serve our ultimate good and certain future. The Psalmist declares that even when he is in the dark and its smothering him: Ps 139:12
even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.
The Psalmist says those who would make God’s name a vanity, a fairy tale, those who would push God and Kingdom away and say - only live for the earthly kingdom - I am against them - I am for You Lord and your heavenly kingdom that will one day fill this new heavens and the earth, and knowing God will fill this earth, like the waters fill the sea.
And that brings us to the last part of these great life journey Psalms. It’s the part that can send us out huppejes for the sheer joy of what lies before us.
C. After Darkness Light, after Struggling Journey, Home!
Now the OT writers only could see this from afar, but after the greatest miracle of the resurrection of Jesus, we and Riet can see it so more fully. Psalm 23:6
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
So often and certainly with Riet a child experiences a reflection of God’s unconditional love. A mother so often after hurts and failures, after at your lowest or worse, or just dead-end, another viewing your life from beginning to end, not just the moment - brings a comfort and a launch pad to start all over again in life. That’s what the Psalmist experienced from the Lord all the way along - this goodness and mercy - all along life’s journey’s way. It’s like the believer here these great start again, rags to riches stories, and believes hey not only true but true for me - and the future always looks bright then. But now look with the believer in the Psalm at the final future: I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. WOW. Everything in this life - change and decay - now thing ultimately last s forever, even marriage , family not the ultimate, not the music of this world’s pleasures, or even experience of friendship with each other and with the LORD - here all is partial and tainted. It’s a reminder that we are not home yet.
But then at life’s end for the One who is walking with Lord as their Shepherd, who has said lead me in paths of righteousness - and by faith I will walk with you. That Shepherd opens a door - and that door is death with all the punishment and fear and pain sucked out of it. He took it all. And He says, I’ve turned death into your entrance into eternal life . I’ve been calling from this open door, and now you pass the threshold, as I did - I have made a way to final home - festival of friends in the Lord and most of all with the Lord himself. And that is what lasts forever, and will grow and grow in the new heavens and the new earth.
I loved the way Riel saw it with such clarity. Heaven not this earth and our lives just multiplied by infinity, so that some place floating in the sky where get what ever selfish private pleasures lived for - motor-cycle, heaven, Grundy heaven, fisherman’s heaven. No, no, no. Heaven, is the dwelling place of God with His people with life as it was meant to be. Pictured as a paradise, but after the fall, pictured as a city , glorious city with garden in its midst. And Riet saw it - #1 I will see the Lord, physically see Jesus and spiritually behold glory of great God Father and Spirit and Son who loved us , gave themselves to draw us into circle of friendship joy and love, , #2 Leo - not isolated individual spiritual thing - we will be together with the Lord, all who have been shepherded by Jesus for whom He laid down in his life, and they committed to this Saviour, Jesus says not lose one, bring them all one by one safely through - forgiven, cleansed, purified into the eternal kingdom. #3 In the midst - of that fellowship - what shall we do - I do believe in new heavens and new earth Scripture teaches will be life more fully work with out toil it will be worship, but even more the heartbeat of that future existence - full of what Reit new to be praise! #1 The living Lord, #2 Leo and all of God’s people, and #3 An Organ - i d on’t know about the instrument, but Riet foresaw biggest organ that she would climb into most beautiful praise and music and delight - glorify the Lord fully forever. No eye has seen, no ear has hear, nor has entered into the imagination of any man, what the Lord has prepared for those who love Him. That’s what Riet would have you think on today, that is what we celebrate from a far what she experiences in full, and beckons us to follow. And that is why those last verses of Psalm 139:23-24, on her obituary are so important to us who are left to follow in her footsteps of faith:
Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!
A prayer we all ought to pray at the foot of the grave - Lord you know the days of my lives, you know my heart. Test them and show me - know the ways I feel guilty, ashamed, know the ways that I feel so full of myself n o room for you, see the ways I try to be good enough to earn a good life, Lord are there grieves, anxious ways in me - Give me the faith that Riet had - to know in Christ I am forgiven, that walking with my hand in His , hearing His voice in your Word, living with worship and fellowship - that I am on the way everlasting. You pray like that too Jesus and know He will not turn you away - but will lead you - so that He says, where I am, where Riet is now, there you shall also be! Amen.
Let’s respond singing the song Riet unexpectedly chose to have read to her in our last visit. Perhaps the last song reverberating in her heart. She chose it and it speaks of this way everlasting God has laid for us from generation to generation! Amen.