John the Beloved said, “… God is love …” (1 John 4:16)

Now please, think about this for a minute: If God is love, then love is forever; and if love is forever, then families must be forever. Please, let me illustrate.

Grandpa and Grandma were serving the Lord back east when it was learned that Grandpa had cancer. The doctors gave him little hope. He grew steadily worse until finally the family was called. Katie’s family was one of the first to arrive. As they entered the room, Grandpa hugged and greeted each family member. While they waited for the rest of the family to show up, Katie and her sister, Annie, sat down on the floor at Grandpa’s feet, and began to massage them. He liked that. After a while he dozed off, but then suddenly Grandpa opened his eyes, and for a moment he just looked at his two beautiful granddaughters. Then, in a voice as tender and gentle as an angel, he said, “I’m looking at beauty, I’m feeling beauty, I think I’ve already gone to Heaven.”

Katie said it was [as] though her heart had stopped at that moment. The Spirit was strong as was the feeling of love. She had never felt closer to Grandpa.

When all the family was there that could be, Grandpa smiled at them and said, “I have to speak loud[ly] because I have something important to say. Heavenly Father wants us to stay together. He wants us to return to Him. He wants us to love one another.”

He leaned over to Grandma at this point, and he said, “Will you coach me?”

Grandma seemed to know what Grandpa was trying to say, because she then turned to the family and said, “He wants us to keep the commandments.”

And then Grandpa began to sing, “Keep The Commandments.” Grandma joined him, and one by one, each of their posterity joined in and added their voices. The power of the song increased, but so too did the power of love, and the influence of the Lord’s spirit. It comforted, bound, and strengthened all who were present. It was as though the Lord was affirming to the family the truthfulness of this worthy patriarch’s final message.

“I think I’ve said all I need to say,” Grandpa concluded, “except that I love you.”

To Katie who watched all this, it was amazing how calm he was, how prepared he seemed to be. It’s true – it really is true, for the faithful, death holds no terror.

Grandpa smiled, and picked up a white tissue and said, “Is it okay if I wave goodbye?”

The family cried, hugged him goodbye, and Grandpa was gone shortly thereafter.

The impact this had on the family is immeasurable. Indeed, family and all that it righteously entails is [are] forever.

Now, I tell this story with permission, but I’m sure you would’ve had to have been there to fully understand. To this outsider, the impact this had on Katie is what most impresses me. She’s never been the same since this incident.

“I knew,” she said, “that Grandpa would be watching over me, and I didn’t want to do anything to let him down.” Again she said, “Grandpa’s watching me. I don’t want to do anything bad.”

Now, my dear friends, that is the power of family love. By the grace of God, may it grow in your home.