Perspective

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Sunday, Nov. 23, 2008 - A post from my co-worker and sister in Christ, Freda Tao:
"Miss you so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ... with tears in my eyes, I have to share a sad news.. Bentley has earned his wings tonight at 7:45pm with Chris & Austin, Dan and I . .. and also grandpa & grandma (my parents).... by his side. I believed he's now having fun again in heaven...

Bentley will be forever missed... but it's a great comfort to know that he's now in a much better place with Jesus. During his 3 months & 22 days of battle, I kept thinking about why.... All I have thought about is he must have a very important job from God. I always told Chris & Austin that Bentley is Jesus' 'spykid'. He has a mission for Jesus... and I think his mission is to show daddy how much God is in control and it's good to believe & trust in God. After all these years... Dan finally accepted Jesus into his heart last night... in front of family and pastor ... & Bentley.

"Good job! Bentley!"... I'm just so proud of you...
Thank you everyone for your support & cheers...
More information about the viewing & service will be announce soon..."

http://www.icouldbeyourchild.org/liftedup.htm
(Bentley's picture is at the very bottom...)

I followed Freda and her family's struggle and hardship through her posts on Xanga since August. This is an excerpt from August 3: "Bentley is trying to calm himself down & try to deal with his weakness & fear.... But he knows Jesus loves him. Pray for Bentley... my very special boy... Just found out he had a tumor in his brain." Through this difficulty, it's natural for us to doubt that God is in control. We often ask why bad things happen to good people. But through these struggles, God willing, we see that there exists something greater, greater than we can wrap our minds around. He has granted Freda to see the situation from a greater perspective. Instead of cursing God, she blesses Him because a greater good arose from a tragic situation.

Our loving Father will have His way at the end of it all. That is why we benefit from surrendering to Him. At the end of it all, it is God who will receive all the glory, honor, and praise. It's to this end that we live and breathe. It's to this end that God inspired Paul to write in 1 Corinthians 10, "Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."

Be encouraged, brothers and sisters, that we who are in Christ are merely passing through this present world, for our citizenship is in Heaven. Our trials and hardships are temporary, as is the desires of this world, so keep your minds on things above, not on things below. With the limited time that we have here, let's do all to the glory of God, blessing others and leading them to the living Christ, knowing that His name will be praised forever and ever.