Wish there were never a need to bury a child before he/she had the chance to breathe a first breath.
Romans 5: 1-5
Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. 3And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.
Charlotte and Aaron, after presiding at the funeral for Cash, I never thought in my wildest dreams that I would once again stand before you under similar circumstances. I never thought I would have to once again walk with you through a parent’s worst nightmare. The odds of lightening striking twice in the same place are astronomical; yet it seems that the two of you have had the worst of luck.
Today, we gather to bury Cade, who, like his brother, never had the opportunity of tasting life; never had the opportunity of experiencing all the things people experience in this world that are both wonderful and tragic. Once again, the hopes and dreams you had for this child are shattered, gone in the blink of an eye. And once again, I have few, if any words that can offer comfort in the midst of your grief.
Yes, what I said at Cash’s funeral still holds today. I still believe more than ever that one day you will get to see Cade in the way God meant him to be. I still believe God didn’t need another angel. I still believe God didn’t intend for Cade’s heart to stop beating while he was still in the womb. And I still believe God is seeking you out in the midst of your grief and despair to offer the comfort only He can give. As I said before, so I say again, God knows what it is like to lose a child all too soon. He knows the grief and the anguish. He knows the questions you have, and He wants you to ask them. God understands and does not begrudge you your grief, your anger, and your despair. But there is something God offers you as well, and it is my hope today as you wrestle with all the darkness this death brings, you will grasp and hold onto this one thread.
I have with me this morning a flashlight. You will notice that it is a very small flashlight. Some would say that it is too small for much good. You certainly can’t see very far by its light; however, if you have ever been in a situation where there is total darkness and you can see absolutely nothing, I can assure you, this little bitty ray of light is comforting, reassuring, and it helps you see just enough to move ahead inch by precious inch.
In the lesson I just read from St. Paul’s book of Romans, Paul tries to offer those who suffer just such a ray of light. He calls upon us to rejoice in our sufferings because suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope and hope does not disappoint us because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us.
Suffering leads to hope. This is God’s message to you and to me and to all who wrestle with tragedy. We don’t always know the answers. We oftentimes find ourselves surrounded by doubt. Our vision becomes cloudy, and darkness surrounds. But hope pierces that darkness, and many times it starts small. It gives us strength to put one foot in front of the other. It shines a light so that we can see just a little bit ahead of us, and it gives us comfort that there is a bigger picture that we cannot see in this time and place. We may not know what that bigger picture entails, but we can trust that it is there. We can trust that somehow God knows and understands what we do not know.
Please, take this flashlight. It’s not much, but may its light, although small, remind you of hope. And may that hope give you strength in the days ahead as you work through this difficult time. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment