In memory of someone I never knew

MONTREAT, N.C., JUNE 14—Mrs. Ruth Bell Graham, beloved wife of world-renowned evangelist Billy Graham, died at 5:05 p.m. today, at her home at Little Piney Cove in Montreat, N.C., surrounded by her husband and all five children. She was 87. A public funeral service to honor Mrs. Graham has been scheduled for 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 16 in Anderson Auditorium at the Montreat Conference Center in Montreat, N.C. Details for this service will be released when available.

“Ruth was my life partner, and we were called by God as a team,” Mr. Graham said of his life-long marriage and ministry partner. “No one else could have borne the load that she carried. She was a vital and integral part of our ministry, and my work through the years would have been impossible without her encouragement and support.

“I am so grateful to the Lord that He gave me Ruth, and especially for these last few years we’ve had in the mountains together,” Mr. Graham continued. “We’ve rekindled the romance of our youth, and my love for her continued to grow deeper every day. I will miss her terribly, and look forward even more to the day I can join her in Heaven.” [from http://www.billygraham.org/]

Wow. I open up my internet browser and this is the first bit of news I see. And my reaction? "Oh, no!" Wait a minute....'oh no' ?? I hear about people dying everyday, and it's her death that sparks my sorrow? Yeah, it's sad for her friends and family, but they are comforted because they know what happened to her. She's experiencing so much more joy now than anyone on this earth could imagine. What about all these people we cannot be so sure about? The people who- didn't make it to heaven?? Why doesn't news of their deaths break my heart at first sight? Well, maybe cause we're so used to it. School shootings, terrorrists, wars....what else is new? True, we can't dwell on the evils of this world. And we can't expect ourselves to save the world, much less save anyone's life. Only God can do that. But it kinda started me to thinkin'. We can't change the eternal destiny of anyone, but we can tell them how: by accepting grace from the only One who can determine what happens at the end of our lives. You'd think that'd be more important to me considering all the people I love who don't know Jesus.
Ouch.
I want the confidence Mr. Graham has about his future and the future of the ones he loves. Heavenly confidence.