Neither Death Nor Life

I've come home from a long morning up in NC and I just have to type. When my heart is overwhelmed I do best to write, and gain a prayerful perspective of the day's events. My last meeting today found me at the home of a most precious family that I've carried for a couple of years now. I almost didn't get there. I was tired from the past two days of mommy-ing sickies and early morning meetings. Thankfully, the Lord nudged me to go. I LOVE my job when I get to sit with families and connect on a deep level outside of school and business-as-usual.

What she shared with me was heavy. Over Labor-Day weekend a friend of theirs lost their 4 year-old son in a drowning incident. Tragic! Horribly tragic! Her heart was broken for this family and I must say, I drove home with tears falling down praying for this couple and their 8 year-old son who will have to wake up to the reality of this loss. I thought back to my own "dark-night" of the soul and the nights I would go to bed crying, fall asleep, only to awaken a few hours later jolted by the awareness that it wasn't a dream, and I would have to get up in the morning and face the day and whatever it brought, longing for normalcy. Mmmmm, a new normal. I remember those days like they were yesterday.

I prayed for this mother as I pictured her gasping for breath in the weight of her sorrow. I prayed that she would be able to find a glimpse of hope in this ugly reality. I can't even imagine having to face the loss of my child.

This mom that I sat with shared with me that the couple are not believers. I prayed that Jesus would manifest Himself in the brokenness and pain and reveal Himself to them so intimately.

I thought of the scripture that I wrote about only a couple of nights ago when my son lay in bed so sick with fever...neither death nor life! ...and I asked God to show this family that their beautiful child has not been taken from Love's grip.

Ugh! So heavy...and I think, though this sound trite, God uses these things to show me how every day is a beautiful gift from His hand. There is a song that goes something like, "We are all just one phone call from our knees." I need not fear. I need not worry. I need not want. Bottom line...nothing can separate us from His magnificent Love. As Christians, we can stand in the gap for a hurting, broken world...a hurting family, and we can be the voice crying out to Him for mercy, healing and strength. That is our calling as children of the King-to intercede for those who cannot find their way through the tragedies of life.

Sustain them Lord. Cover them. Hold them.