WORDS OF COMFORT...

In the days that passed after the funeral…we received numerous cards of sympathy.

I received a letter from one of my dearest friends Janie…she was the first Christian women to befriend me and she has always meant so much to me and her letter to this day is in my possession.

She wrote in her letter…

“I was playing my piano for some uplifting spiritual music and came across the song “Now I belong to Jesus” that your husband sang in church. I thought about how many people take our Lord in such a light fashion. Our service for him is so real and so hard at times. When little Stephen died, I cried so hard for the grief that comes to the flesh and at the same time I was rejoicing that that part of your “trial of faith” was over. How dear you are to us here."

All the cards we received expressed their love to us, it lifted our hearts at a time when you can feel so alone…in a busy world.

One card read:
I know the LORD will uplift you all, through this sorrowful time in your lives. It’s wonderful that we can go to Him in our time of need and His everlasting arms are always there to comfort us. Knowing that your precious son is with Him now and that you’ll see him again is a blessing.

Another from the Pastor of the church we visited:
The Lord has certainly used Stephen during his short life, and yourselves to bring glory to His name and encouragement to others. We pray that He will bring comfort and consolation.

A note from one of his nurses says... His death has touched my heart.

A neighbor we knew briefly sent words of wanting to help us in any way…

It was hard to grasp the closure of Stephen’s life. I had faced “reality” so many times and yet during this time, it was all starting to “soak in”. The devil took full advantage of my weakness, but the LORD was indeed that comforter each of these cards expressed. The words written were not void of comfort nor were they mere words…they reached the depths of compassion so needed.

I cried one night as I lay in bed…I had been so caught up in all the needful preparations and keeping up with my family that the time finally came to just “grieve” my loss.

To grieve is not wrong. Many Christians think they must be this strong person of no emotion of sorrow and that your faith is weak if you do.

The Bible does state ..not to sorrow as others which have no hope…

This says..as others… the lost who wail and bemoan with no assurance of ever seeing their loved one again. They have no peace and no comfort of God’s ways.
Grieving is a natural process of our hearts expressing a type of sorrow that involves love. In the proper grief…one naturally misses the companionship of the loss or in my case the bond of mother to child. That love is often expressed in tears of sorrow or joy.

Many a “tough guy” when touched deeply…a tear trails down his cheek and you know this man has a heart just like any other.

I had questioned myself in this…

"Was I weak?"

And then my husband so gently reminded me of this LOVE that is present within us that must express itself.

God also expressed many emotions… we must remember, he was tempted in all points as we…yet without sin. He too grieved over the rebellion of man….he loved his brethren…he loved as no other…

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 3:16

My heart was lifted as I began to think upon my son’s presence with the LORD and how pleased the LORD was and is to have used this sweet creation of his to bring a soul to salvation.

This is why that verse we chose was special…

Precious in the sight of the LORD, is the death of his saints. Psalm 116:15

Precious because his work is finished and accomplished that which he pleased. His greatest work and desire..to save souls.
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May 2008 As I read today in my devotions, I came across passages in Isaiah, one of my favorite books in the Bible. It manifest so clearly the holiness of GOD and his majesties. I recommend reading especially chapters 51-55.
Verses today that stood out to me where found in:

Isaiah 51:11 Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.

Isaiah 52:3 For thus saith the Lord, Ye have sold yourselves for nought; and ye shall be redeemed with out money.

Amen! … only through the mercies of our loving God and his sacrifice on Calvary is man redeemed. No amount of money will ever suffice. Would the GOD of all creation…need money of all things, to redeem those whom he loved and died for!

Then in verse 10

The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.

And in the New Testament the way is found:

John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me.

And my favorite verse that sustains me always in all my trials and tribulations.. for this is my confidence. God’s faithfulness in giving me his perfect Word without error. The God of creation…he can write a book too!

I know him and I know he loves…even me.

I John 5:13 These things are written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God: that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.