Losing a Son

My friend Sarah lost her son, Kelly at 2 a.m. this morning. Not a great way to celebrate Valentine's Day. There is a measure of comfort in knowing that he was a believer and is now in heaven. At 40 years old, he had just started a new job a few months ago, and was a newlywed of only 2 months. He suffered 3rd degree burns over 70% of his body in the Dixie Crystals plant explosion last week.

I cannot imagine losing my son. I have my daughters and my step-children, but Eddie is my ONLY son. There are times when I'm reading my Bible and meditating on God's sacrifice of his only Son, or of Abraham's willingness to give up his cherished son, and my simple human mind finds it hard to grasp.

My son, while not walking in the path of righteousness, is still a joy to me. We have had our ups & downs, especially through his early teens, but we are closer now than we have ever been. He has never been ashamed to say he loves me or show affection, even in front of his friends. He's quite handsome and charming, is blessed with a good sense of humor, possesses tremendous creative artistic talent, and uses his manners (at least when he's around me and my family). I cannot imagine my life without him, even though he lives in another state.

I know I would lay down my life for any of my children (including my steps), but to permanently give them up on purpose? I like to think that if God asked me to make that sacrifice, I would have the faith to do as He asks. It's hard enough to step aside when they are in trouble after I've asked God to do what He must in order to bring them to Him.

My heart goes out to Sarah, as well as her new daughter-in-law, her other children, and everyone else who lost Kelly as a vital part of their lives. My thoughts are with them as they grieve, and I pray that they will have the strength to cope with their loss. Perhaps they will even be able to celebrate that Kelly is now with our heavenly Father. Nothing happens without cause, and it is my hope that through this tragedy someone will come to know Christ, or come back to Him.

This is old

My Utmost for His Highest, May 5

"Never sympathize with a soul who finds it difficult to get to God, God is not to blame" - Oswald Chambers

I saw myself in this phrase this morning. As one who came to the Lord later in life (age 38), I was quite familiar with the excuses for not making the decision to follow Christ. As a new Christian, I often did sympathize with my lost friends and loved ones, making excuses for their doubt and unwillingness to change. Over time, I have agonized over these lost souls, crying for hours on end and feeling a burden so heavy on my heart it seems that sorrow has become a part of my daily existence. As I mature daily in my faith, I am learning that all I can do is go where the Holy Spirit leads me, present the truth of the Gospel, and turn those to whom I have shared with over to God. I will continue to pray for them and continue my witness through testimony and by example, but it is not my job to agonize over the state of their souls. I am merely an emissary of Jesus Christ, his disciple, carrying out his command to continue the work he started.