When I am in the middle of a crowd of people worshipping God, I feel like I am connected with Heaven and communing with my son, who is doing the same thing there. I feel reassured that my son is alive and well, that God is who he says He is, and that this sorrow-filled world will one day become a glorious and joy-filled eternal reunion. Last night Chris sang this song:
"My chains are gone
I've been set free
My God, my Savior, has ransomed me
And like a flood His mercy rains
Unending love, amazing grace..."
As he sang, for the first time I realized that my son's chains are gone and he's been set free. He is free to never again worry about the tragedies of this world--about brokenness in all its forms. Things like war, and politics, and injustice, and taxes and crime and poverty, and hunger, and disease and death. He never has to worry again about a broken relationship, a flat tire, or a toothache. This world hurts and disappoints and we all wait for the day when it's redeemed. And I realized, again for the first time, that for my son, the pain and misery are over. For the first time, I could step out of my personal loss, and imagine instead what he has found.
It was just a blessed moment of clarity.
Romans 8:22-24
We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved.
8 comments:
Our God is forever faithful. Thank you, Karen for showing us incredible beauty rising out of immeasurable pain.
Terry Davis
What a gift. I'm so glad that you received it through the blessed art of music, which seems to be so important in your family. I look forward to the day when we open our eyes in the presence of our beautiful, free, whole, happy, radiant children - when we can share the Kingdom of God more completely than we are able to do now. Sending love to you.
karen i just wanted to push a "like" button after reading this! what a joy, what a gift.
Karen, this is so amazing to read :) I agree with Ciara, I want to push a like button too!!
I love you so much and I thank you for being such a wonderful example.
Love this! So glad God revealed something so beautiful and true to you. : ) Our son's headstone has butterflies on it and the last line is "the struggle of the cocoon is over.. he is free!" and I think that says a lot... he and your son really are free. It's just hard to take that in sometimes. I'm glad you were able to attend the concert. Would love to see him sometime myself. :)
Worship is such a gift from God to us (even though it's also our offering to Him) ... it's His avenue in which He makes Himself and His will known to us, as we adore Him and love Him and Surrender ourselves to Him. Thank you for sharing such wonderful revelation and encouragement from God.
When my kids were little, I worried myself to death about what they might experience as life came to pass. I use to wish that Jesus would just come on so I could spare them or me I suppose. So I get this and what you are saying. I can still go a little nutty worrying about it.
Big hugs to you today.
what a lovely post, and i've enjoyed the ones since this one as well. thank you for sharing with us, it's so important to know we are not alone. xo jennifer
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