Prayer for a Good Man: My Father-in-law Ordway Gates

Lord, our prayers are with the Gates family this morning as Ordway has succumbed to his long battle with dementia. His earthly body has failed him but now he is free of the encumbrance and has entered a new phase of life. We are happy for him because he is free of pain and suffering. He can run with the angels on streets made of gold, and listen to stories from saints new and old (I’m sure he’ll love that part!). He can worship his Maker face-to-face; we know that’s where he’ll be when we finally find him… But we, his friends and family, who knew him and loved him miss him dearly; we wish he was still here. We just pray that you O God will comfort us as we say goodbye to the patriarch of the Gates family this week. Grant us the ability to celebrate a life well lived even as we ourselves grieve our loss. We pray in the name of the one who has overcome death and grants us life everlatsting—Jesus the Christ. AMEN