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Writer's pictureLyudmila van Aarde

A day before Memorial Service

Updated: Jun 22, 2021


It was a very tough emotional day, we had to buy our clothes for the Memorial Service.


Michelle's favourite colour was yellow, so we asked everyone to dress up in something yellow. None of us had any yellow clothes so we were shopping around for them, shop assistances were making some comments thinking that we are dressing up for some fun party, we didn't bother to explain the purpose.

We found a shirt for Dirk, but it had to be amended a bit to fit the occasion, so I brought it to the clothing repair shop to be fixed. The same evening I had to pick it up. Well, when I came to pick it up I realized that they completely messed it up … and we didn't have any other yellow shirt for Dirk for tomorrow …. I just lost it right there, I burst into tears in the middle of that shop and I had to explain to that shop owner what kind of “party” is tomorrow and why do we need this yellow shirt.

She got the message, apologized and ensured me that they will fix everything by tonight and she will personally bring it to our house. I left that shop with a feeling: “If I couldn't handle such a stupid situation just now, how on earth I will handle it tomorrow?”

Ten minutes later our friend pastor Graeme phoned telling me that he landed in Cape Town just now and will come to the Memorial Service tomorrow, he asked if he can quickly pop into our house for a cup of coffee.

It was absolutely divine appointment, I was at my lowest that evening... But when Graeme came into our house it felt like the presence of the Lord came into our house, a sense of clarity and direction was restored. With him, I could verbalize issues that I couldn't speak about with others. Graeme is a man who is deeply rooted in Christ, he wasn't emotional, didn't speak too much of his own opinion... he was just there for us to listen and to be with us, and at the end, he helped us to shape our thoughts – Michelle's life didn`t shorten or taken away but rather she lived her full life, everything that was written for her before the creation of the earth! She lived her life fully! She ran her race and finished it!


Graeme strengthened me in the Lord. I could face it tomorrow.


1 Samuel 23:16 “And Saul`s son Jonathan went to David at Horesh and helped him find strength in God” Oh, how we need these Jonathans in our lives today.

Jonathan who will come to us in the time of confusion and uncertainty and help us to find strength in God, help us to fix our eyes on Jesus, which means that we have to unfix our eyes from the circumstances, unfix our eyes from other opinions and to allow God`s opinion to rest upon us.

Jonathan who in the middle of the crazy storm which life throws at us will remind us not to be afraid but to look at God`s bigger picture, God`s bigger plan, to embrace His vision and His perspective.

In the times when we receive the green light from God – this Jonathan will remind us to give glory to God and not to take credit for what God is doing.

And In the times when we receive “NO” from God – this Jonathan will remind us about God`s Sovereignty and encourage us to keep on trusting Him.


Jonathan, who speaks truth in love, who directs us toward the One who has all power, all authority, all ability to strengthen us in our inner man and to enable us to make right decisions even if it will cost us (and most probably will).


Oh, how we need to become these Jonathans for each other.


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maritsavanrooyen
maritsavanrooyen
Aug 16, 2021

How gracious our Lord is to those that seek Him. He knew that you needed a Jonathan that evening. He provided.


I always pray that God will open my children's eyes so that they can see Gods goodness and provision. So beautiful how you do see!


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