Goodbye.

It’s arguably one of the most difficult words in the English language.

Not necessarily because it’s difficult to spell or pronounce — but rather because it’s just a really difficult word to hear…and to say, as well. 😕

Nevertheless, we use the word so often that our society has been compelled to create a myriad of ways to express it:

• So long
• Farewell
• auf Wiedersehen
• Ciao
• Sayonara
• Adios
• Toodle-oo
• Ta-ta
• Check you later, dude
• Or as they simply say in Roll Tide country…“Ya’ll come back now, ya hear?!?” 😂😉

But I digress…

Maybe you’re wondering, how did all of this business about “goodbyes” start rattling around in my head in the first place?

Well, I’ve been thinking about it ever since stumbling across this quote on Facebook a few weeks back. It said:

“Everything you need to know about the way a person loves you is in the way they left you. If they left you like it was nothing, then you meant nothing to them.”

😳😳😳😳….Wow.

That’s a tough pill to swallow.

Have you ever experienced anything like that in your life?

I know I have…😣😔.

These types of encounters can make you feel so small. Insignificant. Worthless.

Or as the quote implies, like you’re nothing at all.

But just because someone leaves you like you meant nothing to them, doesn’t mean you are nothing!

Do you know why I believe that?

As counterintuitive as it sounds, it’s because we’ve all been loved and left before.

🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔 Confused yet?

Don’t be.

You heard me right — this ain’t your first rodeo…and it ain’t mine either.

All of us, from the oldest to the youngest, from the least to the greatest, have been loved and left before!

By the SAME PERSON, no less!!!!!

Now, I know what you’re thinking — “That dirty scoundrel!” 😏😏😏

🤣

But I promise you, it’s not like that.

You see, the person who loved us and left us is not a scoundrel at all…in fact, He’s the farthest thing you could ever get from being a scoundrel!!

And His name is Jesus Christ. ❤️

About 2000 years ago, Christ loved us so much that He died for us. (John 3:16; Romans 5:8-10; John 15:13).

He loved us and left us all on the same day!

Thankfully, that’s NOT where the story ends:

On the third day after His crucifixion, Jesus rose from the dead, and according to Acts 1:3 He spent the next 40 DAYS with His disciples before ascending into Heaven.

Now…….I’m from Indiana, so I’m no stranger to long goodbyes…but even by Midwest standards, 40 days does seem a little over the top. 🤷‍♀️

I mean, where I’m from, at the end of a long visit, people will slap their knees and say, “Welp, it’s getting late,” and then proceed to chit chat with their hand on the doorknob for the next 40 MINUTES 😂…but 40 DAYS?!?! 😱😱😱

The more I think about it, Jesus’ goodbye looked more like a farewell tour!

And then I can’t help but think about that quote again…remember, it said:

“Everything you need to know about the way a person loves you is in the way they left you. If they left you like it was nothing, then you meant nothing to them.”

Jesus didn’t leave us like we were nothing. He left us like we were the most somethingest somethings there ever were!!!!!

Even though we didn’t deserve it, He did all of this for us…and He’s still not finished.

There’s a song by the band Cain called “The Commission” that really paints this picture poignantly. If you’ve never heard it, click here to listen. I literally can’t hear it without balling my eyes out every. single. time. 😭😭😭❤️❤️❤️

It’s written from the perspective of Jesus as He is about to ascend into Heaven. He’s giving “The Great Commission” to his apostles to go into all the world, teaching and baptizing others for the salvation of their souls (Mark 16:15-16).

The chorus reads:

Go tell the world about me
I was dead but now I live
I’ve gotta go now for a little while
But goodbye is not the end

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️😭😭😭😭😭😭

Goodbye is not the end…yes, even a 40-day-long goodbye is not enough for Jesus — one day He’s coming back and taking us with Him for good!!! And at that point, we’ll never have to say goodbye again…we’ll be with Him in Heaven eternally! (John 14:3)

Just as His death was not a final goodbye…if we believe, then our death is not a final goodbye either. (I Corinthians 15)

It’s more like a “see ya real soon”…or as my two-year-old nephew says, a “See ya later, ag-ill-ator” 😂😂😂🐊🐊🐊).

To which, with simple, trusting faith, Jesus simply wants us to reply, “After a while, crocodile!” 🥰🥰

Until next time…

-PWAP