I'll Meet You at the River

My An Arkie's Faith column from the October 18, 2023, issue of The Polk County Pulse.

My Daddy had looked forward to his Madison College reunion for six months. I told him I would take him, and he was so happy. Over the years, he kept in touch with friends from college. This year’s reunion was to be the final reunion, and Daddy didn’t want to miss it. Madison College closed in the early 60s, so there are few remaining alumni. As the reunion neared, he talked about it to everyone he met.

A few weeks before the reunion, my orthopedic surgeon scheduled my knee replacement surgery just a few days before the college reunion. When I told Daddy, he was very disappointed. I felt terrible, but there was nothing I could do. I asked my daughter if there was any way that she might be able to take him, and she was able to arrange her schedule so that she could.

Daddy was excited when I told him she would take him to the reunion. They packed the car with snacks and headed out on a road trip to Nashville, Tennessee. While at the reunion, Daddy had a great time reconnecting with old friends. He also enjoyed showing off his beautiful granddaughter. Nine college alumni who, along with Daddy, graduated in the 50s were in attendance.

The morning after the reunion, Daddy and some friends ate breakfast at Cracker Barrel. After a wonderful visit, it was time to head back home to Mena. When they said their goodbyes, Daddy told his friends, “I probably won't see you again, but I will meet you at the river.”

The evening that Daddy and my daughter returned from Nashville, we had a wonderful time visiting as they told us stories of the weekend. Daddy was happier and more engaging than he had been for quite a while. He told anyone he talked to about his reunion experiences. He told stories from his boyhood that I had never heard before. 

While recovering from knee surgery, Daddy stayed at my business daily to let customers know I could not work for a few weeks. Last Wednesday, while he was at the shop, my wife and I made two trips there and visited with him for a few minutes. On Thursday, a friend helped me pick up a load of glass and make deliveries. My Daddy wasn't there when we stopped by the shop to pick up the glass delivery truck. “He is usually here by this time,” I thought. “I wonder what is happening with him.”

When we returned to the shop with a load of glass on the truck, he still wasn’t there. “Let’s go check on Daddy before we make our deliveries,” I told my friend. When we arrived at Daddy’s house and went inside, we found that he had slipped away during the night. That scene will be forever etched in my memory.

The shock of that experience is still with me as I make funeral arrangements. Sadness and grief have come in waves as I cope with everything that must be taken care of. But between those waves of intense emotion are thoughts of comfort as I think about Daddy’s last words to his friends, “I’ll meet you at the river.”

One of his favorite hymns was Shall We Gather at the River. “Shall we gather at the river, where bright angel feet have trod, with its crystal tide forever flowing by the throne of God? Yes, we'll gather at the river, the beautiful, the beautiful river; Gather with the saints at the river that flows by the throne of God.”

My Daddy had spent his life serving God in the best way he knew how. He loved Jesus and believed fully that he would spend eternity with him. He loved studying his Bible and took to heart the passages that read, “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.” 1 John 5:13 (ESV) “Endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.” Romans 5:4 (NLT) He was confident he would meet at the river.

The hymn’s final verse proclaims, “Soon we'll reach the shining river, soon our pilgrimage will cease. Soon our happy hearts will quiver with the melody of peace. Yes, we'll gather at the river, the beautiful, the beautiful river; Gather with the saints at the river that flows by the throne of God.”

Robert Lowry wrote this hymn in 1864 after meditating on a picture of heaven found in Revelation 22:1-2 (ESV), “Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city.”

I’m comforted that Daddy has fallen asleep and is resting peacefully. He is no longer fighting the daily battles of life. In 2 Timothy 4:7 (NLT), Paul’s words could be Daddy’s. “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.” I’m comforted that God has promised that if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, we can be sure that those who sleep in Jesus will live again. When the Lord Himself descends from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God, the dead in Christ will rise again.

Gentle Reader, if you have experienced the loss of a friend or family member, remember that God does not want you to be ignorant “concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.” 1 Thessalonians 4:13 (NKJV) God has said that they are blessed. Revelation 14:13 (NIV) says, “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on. ‘Yes,’ says the Spirit, ‘they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.”’ 

I’m confident that Daddy believed the words of the Psalmist found in Psalms 17:15 (NASB); “As for me, I shall behold Your face in righteousness; I will be satisfied with Your likeness when I awake.” I’m looking forward to the day that Jesus returns and Daddy will awake and look into the face of Jesus, his Savior. I’m looking forward to the day “God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Revelation 21:4 (NKJV) I hope to meet Daddy and you at the river one day.