Reflections: In Loving Memory of My Father

Even as I solemnly and gratefully celebrate my beloved father’s life on the occasion of his first death anniversary, I feel moved to share with you three important thoughts that have come to my heart and mind during my reflections on his remarkable life and his passing over these past eleven months. These reflections have been deeply meaningful to me, and I am compelled to share them with you for two very heartfelt reasons. First and foremost, these thoughts stand as a powerful and uplifting reminder of God’s enduring goodness, faithfulness, and mercy throughout every season of life — even in times of profound loss and sorrow. Secondly, and just as importantly, if you yourself are currently walking through the painful journey of grieving the loss of a dear loved one, my prayer is that these words will bring you genuine hope, tender comfort, and a lasting assurance that you are not alone in your sorrow. [Pic: My late father and three years old me watching road races in the year 1984]

Put Your House in Order

My father came dangerously close to death in 1997 when he was involved in a serious car accident that required brain surgery. While lying in the hospital bed, he heard the Spirit of God clearly instruct him to “put his house in order” because he was going to die. Despite this, my father prayed earnestly for recovery—not out of fear of dying, but because he deeply understood how much his young family needed him. During this time, he had a life-changing encounter with God. Through the book of 2 Kings chapter 3, God spoke to him directly, promising divine healing and granting him an additional fifteen years of life beyond what was expected.

He passed away four months before his seventieth birthday, eighteen years after that powerful encounter. From a human perspective, his death may seem premature, but from God’s viewpoint, it was perfectly timed. My father’s extraordinary experience reveals that God had ordained a specific time for his birth and a specific time for his death. When his time came, he entered this world, and when his time came to leave, he returned to his Creator. You may be mourning the tragic loss of someone today, especially as COVID-19 continues to claim lives worldwide. Still, I want you to find comfort in knowing that there is no such thing as a timely or untimely death in God’s eyes—each occurs exactly on His divine timetable. We can rejoice knowing that those who walked faithfully with God in life are now united with Him in death.

Go in Peace

On the night of September 14th, 2020, my brother had admitted my father to the hospital. Despite our prayers for a miracle, he died five days later in his sleep. My sister, who was at the hospital with him, told me that our father was in no agony and passed away peacefully. When she mentioned peace, I knew it was the miracle God had bestowed on us, just like the woman in the gospel of Mark chapter 5 to whom Jesus said, “Go in peace.” Contrary to popular assumption, a peaceful death is not only about being painless—my father’s older brother was a believer who died as a result of COVID-19 complications. I believe my father and my uncle both died in peace because they were at peace with both God and man. That is the supreme miracle, surpassing faith healings, exorcisms, control over nature, and even bringing the deceased back to life.

There are earthly realities and heavenly realities. In earthly reality, although a man may die peacefully, in heavenly reality he would not have died a peaceful death at all if he hadn’t reconciled with God and man. The opposite is also true. In heavenly reality, even if someone you loved died from cancer, coronavirus, martyrdom, or any cause (or you name it…), they have died in peace if they lived at peace with both God and man. Today, I encourage you to live in peace with both God and man by forgiving those who have wronged you and seeking forgiveness from God through faith in Jesus Christ. Feel free to email me if you doubt your position with God or man. Doing so will let me help you prepare to leave this world peacefully when your time comes.

This is My beloved Son

You can call me a “mystic,” but I must share how the Lord showed His love for my father during his burial. The weather was gloomy and windy that day, with the clear signs of an approaching storm. It wasn’t hard to tell that rain would soon come. As we opened the coffin for one last look before lowering it into the grave, something extraordinary happened. The sky suddenly parted, allowing the sun’s warm beams to shine directly on my father’s face. That moment felt like a miracle — a divine sign of love and peace from God himself amid the dark and threatening weather. It was as if heaven briefly touched earth to honor him before the storm arrived. This unforgettable display reminded us that even in sorrow, God’s love shines through in unexpected ways.

It reminded me of what took place at Jesus’ baptism, as recorded in Matthew 3:17 — “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” It felt as though God was saying the same about my father, looking down from heaven with love and approval. At that exact moment, my colleague Dinesh, who was present at the cemetery, captured the scene in a photograph — sunlight breaking through the thick clouds and shining down on the grave. The timing was remarkable. As soon as we finished the burial, the sunlight vanished, and the storm arrived with full intensity. It was as though nature itself had paused to honor him, holding back the storm until he was laid to rest. That sacred moment affirmed in my heart that God was near, and His love was present. Even creation seemed to bear witness to the life of a man who had finished his race faithfully and gone home in peace.

As of this writing, COVID-19 has claimed 7,948 lives in Sri Lanka and 215,201,121 lives across the world. Perhaps someone you loved is among them, and maybe you didn’t even get to say goodbye properly or offer them a traditional burial. In countries like Sri Lanka, many were cremated due to health regulations, leaving families with no closure. But no matter how tragic or unfair their passing may feel from an earthly point of view, the heavenly reality tells a far greater story. Heaven’s perspective is not only different — it is far more powerful and enduring than what we see here on earth. In that heavenly reality, God is looking upon them with love, saying over their eternal souls, “This is My beloved son,” or “This is My beloved daughter, in whom I am well pleased and delighted.” They are not lost, forgotten, or reduced to statistics — they are resting at His feet, honored and received into His presence with divine joy and approval.

Wrap Up

As I bring this post to a close, I want you to know something unshakably true: not even death—let alone COVID-19—can separate us from the love of God that is ours through Jesus Christ. Death may feel final, but in God’s eyes, it is only temporary. His love, unlike death, is eternal and unchanging. That is why I hold on to the hope that I will see my father and my uncle again one day. This hope isn’t wishful thinking; it is rooted in the promises of a God who never fails. I look forward to that reunion with eagerness, joy, and great anticipation. I encourage you to embrace that same hope and look ahead with confidence, not fear. No matter what we’ve lost or how dark the days may seem, God’s goodness remains. He is good when life is full, and He is good when life is broken. He is good in joy, and He is good in grief. Our God is good—absolutely. He is good all the time. And His love never lets go.

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