Good-bye
We shouldn’t hate saying “good-bye.”
But we do. Good-bye usually means missing someone, losing control of someone, having less contact with someone, or not having the benefit of someone’s company.
But the origins of the phrase give us some help in finding hope and pleasure in saying “good-bye,” instead of our usual attitude.
“Good-bye” is a shortened form of “God be with ye.”
And isn’t that a grand thing to be wishing for someone?
If we really are hoping that God is with someone, we don’t need to be in control of them… God is. If we really want God to be with someone, then we don’t need to worry if they are out of our circle of communication, because God has them in His hands. If we really are saying that as our “good-bye-ing” person goes away, we know God is with them, then they will have GOD’S company, which is so much better than our company.
And for Christians… no matter how permanent “good-bye” might seem, it isn’t permanent at all. Because heaven looms cheerfully in our future. We might not have the pleasure of someone for the next few days, or months, or years… but we WILL have forever with them.
Because of God’s presence, through Christ, in their lives.
And if THAT is good-bye… it ain’t so bad, is it?