A beloved husband and best friend died this weekend near Wilmore...
A beloved husband and father of three was killed on his way home today...
Each of these stories is true, and each one has been a part of my life recently. I didn't know any of those who died very well, but I know their families and I know their communities. When I hear stories like this, my heart hurts because I know what it is like to lose someone. I also have an ache in my heart--I feel like saying "Not again, Jesus." Please don't let someone else experience such pain. Sometimes I experience a paralyzing fear--please, please don't ever let it be me again. Don't let me hurt like that again.
With these stories in my heart, I was reading to Isaiah from The Jesus Storybook Bible tonight. I couldn't help but glance at these words on the last page:
"I see a sparkling city shimmering in the sky: glittering, glowing -- coming down!
From heaven.
And from the sky.
Heaven is coming down to earth!
...And the King says, 'Look!
God and his children are together again.
No more running away. Or hiding.
No more crying or being lonely or afraid.
No more being sick or dying.
Because all those things are gone.
Yes, they're gone forever.
Everything sad has come untrue.
And see -- I have wiped away every tear from every eye!'
And then a deep, beautiful voice that sounded like thunder in the sky says,
'Look, I am making everything new!'"
While we live here in this place we get to experience great joys. Beautiful babies. Cuddles before bedtime. Dogs chasing balls into the pond while a 2-year-old shouts, "Good girl!"
But we also experience great suffering. Broken hearts. Betrayal. Death.
The words of Andrew Peterson's song are echoing in my heart tonight:
"The world was good, the world is fallen, the world will be redeemed.
So hold on to the promise. The stories are true that Jesus makes all things new."
