Tragedy struck my friend's family last weekend and I could barely believe my eyes as I read. NO! I can't possibly be understanding this correctly... No, Lord... NO!
The stream of tears surprised me. Tears, like I have said before, are not a norm for me... and yet, they came like a torrent. I wept for my friend. I wept for the loss of a brother. I wept for the children. Very few words... only tears.
It was as if the Lord was allowing me to feel, just a small tiny bit, of what she and her kiddos must be feeling when they heard that their father was gone. ...in an instant. One car. One moment. And, his life here on earth was over.
The shock. The trauma. The confusion. The pain. ...oh! the grief, Lord!
While, I know, we don't grieve like those without faith... (1 Thessalonians 4:13) We have a great and enduring hope! I am certain, without any shadow, where this man who loved God is now living--- oh! the glory of the resurrection!
BUT, while we don't grieve without hope; we do still grieve. We must grieve. We must lament. We turn our hearts and our tears into a Psalm to set before the Father's heart. When I read the news, I wanted to wail, to rend my garments and put ash on my head.
Our hearts are made for eternity. Death is a separation that cuts and bleeds and tears at our very God-made natures. We know we are made for more... for always-togetherness. Death feels like a harsh blow in the now.
For days now, I have been carrying this friend. Night and day. As if I am walking so very closely to these dear ones. It is like I can hear their hearts, feel their cries. I have been feeling deep and profound sadness for days. "When one part of the body hurts, the whole of the body hurts." (1 Corinthians 12:26) I know I am not alone in this pain-carrying. I see it on social media. Others are affected by this loss of a friend, a brother, a mentor. We grieve and we pray. We worship and we try to lend a hand. What else do we have?
I believe that God gifts us with this grief-intercession in order to bear the burden and lighten the load. Jesus Himself is the "light" yoke (Matthew 11:28)--- and we are His hands, feet, mouth, and His eyes as we cry.
Lord, may my tears to you be an offering---an intercession. Would You count all our tears as we grieve and would You have mercy and hear our cry? We know this world is not our home. We put our trust in You alone. We believe that You are the God of all comfort; that you, Jesus are a man of sorrows, well acquainted with suffering. Oh! How this mamma and those children need You right now. We ask, ...we know..., that you will come alongside and cover. Just as their daddy once covered... would You be their shield and their rock; their strong tower in the midst of this time of trouble.
~~To support and carry this family, please consider giving to their go-fund-me account. We can lend a hand and lighten the load, even if only slightly.