I Prefer Farewell

Goodbye. 

The word is so final.  While the origin of the word come from the idea of "God be with you" it still feels final.  We say goodbye because we don't expect to see the other person again.  Goodbyes are hard to do.

I have always preferred the word farewell.  Farewell literally means I hope you fare well in life until we meet again.  That doesn't feel so final to me.  It suggests a reunion.  We will meet again and I hope until then, you fare well.

Whenever I leave a place or a person, I bid them farewell.  As a believer in Jesus, I believe in reunions.  I know that I will see other believers in Jesus again.  That may be here on earth.  It may be in the life to come.  But make no mistake, if you are a believer in Jesus, I will see you again.  Death is not the end.  Life is eternal.

So I always say "farewell."

In 2 Corinthians 13:11, Paul concludes his letter.  The New King James, I think, puts it best.  "Finally, brethren, farewell. Become complete. Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you." 

As he closes the letter, he bids them farewell.  Then he gives them instructions on how to fare well until they meet again.   As I close out my time at Gracey and in youth ministry, I reflect on these very words.

It's a challenge to remain complete in Christ, which means to be of one Christ-like mind that lives in peace.  When we live in God's peace, we experience true peace.  If we have true peace, then it will fare well with us until we meet again.

As I believer, I take great comfort in the fact that we will meet again.  I know death is not the end.  I know amongst fellow believers, there are no final goodbyes.  There is just...Farewell.

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