“My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” – John 14:2-3

Sadly, our young Brother-in-Christ, Andrew, passed away this week. But, our joy is in knowing where he is and who he is with. Please read my post about Andrew, There’s Another In The Fire – So Take The Plunge from November 26, 2019

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After hearing of the passing of Andrew by overdose, in my shock and sadness the Lord led me to Proverbs 30.

• There is a generation that curses its father, And does not bless its mother. There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes, Yet is not washed from its filthiness. There is a generation—oh, how lofty are their eyes! And their eyelids are lifted up. There is a generation whose teeth are like swords, And whose fangs are like knives,
  To devour the poor from off the earth, And the needy from among men.
• The leech has two daughters—Give and Give!
• There are three things that are never satisfied, Four never say, “Enough!”: The grave, The barren womb, The earth that is not satisfied with water—And the fire never says, “Enough!” – Proverbs 30:11-16 

First of all, I am in no way suggesting that what is described above was Andrew. His was a joyful, exuberant and energetic spirit.

What the Proverb describes is what exists in our world that works to devour people like Andrew. It struck me as describing a generation fooled by the certainty of their inherent goodness, tormented by social media and driven to drugs, desperation and destruction.

Am I overstating? Perhaps. But, not in the light of this world’s intent to destroy Andrew and the growing epidemic of drug use and overdose.

The filthy leech that rules this earthly realm always wants more – to drain the lifeblood of God’s creation.

Truthfully, what I initially felt was not just sorrow but a mix of anger and sorrow – for the deception and corruption of this world. It was something like the only time in the Gospels that Jesus is said to be angry. His was not just anger, but a combination of anger with sorrow and mourning.

In the Gospel of Mark, chapter 3 a man holds out his deformed hand anxiously waiting for a miracle. Jesus hesitates and asks the Pharisees if it is right to heal on the Sabbath. They stay silent, condemning the man to stay deformed rather than admit to the truth and their error. Jesus experiences a mix of anger and mourning for their hardhearted, compassionless silence.

As I meditated on God’s word I heard, “Enough is enough!”

The prophets were often commissioned by God to expose the extreme sinfulness of Israel and the human suffering it caused, and to warn of the judgement that was inevitable, unless they repented. God warned that he will act to end the sin and suffering by judgement saying, “Enough is enough!”

But, this was not what I heard for Andrew.

It was not the great judgement declaration of the Prophets. What I heard was the great compassion declaration of a loving God that said, even with all God had done and was doing for Andrew: a new and vibrant relationship with the living God, a family that continued to lavish loving grace upon him, a church family rejecting any notion to turn their back on him and even a new beautiful, caring romance was not enough to drown out the years of the enemy’s voice screaming in his ear, “You cannot live without this drug!” God said, “Enough is enough!”

But, I had to chuckle. As I prayed, a familiar phrase from my ancient days (the 1960s) came to mind. The memory of a cartoon from when I was a child surfaced. It was Tooter Turtle and Mister Wizard, where Mr. Wizard would rescue Tooter from some catastrophe by crying out,

“Drizzle, Drazzle, Drozzle, Drome; time for this one to come home.”

Not exactly straight from the Bible but I sensed God saying, as Jesus shared in John 14:2-3, My victory is already won for Andrew. Enough is enough! It’s done. No more of the enemy having his way. Time for this one to come home!

God was not the author of this sin that led to death. In fact, God had stepped in to “rescue” Andrew’s life several times in the past. (Which by God’s loving patience led to Andrew’s accepting His gift of eternal life) But, by God’s love, this time He brought Andrew home.

Let’s lift up praise to our God now lovingly embracing Andrew – even as we pray comfort for his family and friends left behind.

For Andrew, no more questions about acceptance. No more feelings of loneliness. No more need for drugs to grasp at a deceptive substitute for experiencing God. All of it now perfectly satisfied in God’s powerful arms. Andrew rests unbound and unharmed.

He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.” Daniel 3:25

But, Andrew is no longer in the fire. He’s now swimming with his Savior – plunged into the refreshing waters of God’s eternal love.

For us, let’s use Andrews memory and Jesus’ example of what to do with our anger and sadness – to turn and to heal. To continue to offer true healing and hope for eternal life to the multitude who are desperately lost and hurting.