Thursday, December 02, 2010

Loss

Sometimes, when you most need to hear "I'm sorry for your loss" and comfort and sympathy, that's when you don't want to hear it. When love and support are verbally expressed, your tough perseverance flies out the window.

Children of the heavenly Father
safely in His bosom gather.
Nestling bird nor star in heaven
such a refuge e'er was given!

After a long wait, Rachel and Matt were expecting a baby mid-summer. The baby died this weekend.

Neither life nor death shall ever
from the Lord His children sever.
Unto them His grace He showeth,
and their sorrows all He knoweth.

Sometimes it's hard to go to church when you're suffering. It can be emotional. Hearing the solid truth of God's love and tender mercy may make you cry. And yet, where else is there help and rescue?

Though He giveth or He taketh,
God His children ne'er forsaketh.
His the loving purpose solely
to preserve them pure and holy.

10 comments:

  1. Thanks for that hymn, Susan. It helps.

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  2. Susan, I am sorry for your family's loss. Although all the hopes and dreams for what this baby would have grown into on earth are past, he or she will be everything he or she was meant to be with Jesus in heaven.

    My sister and I were pregnant at the same time. Due within 3 months of each other. She lost her baby. When James was born, it was hard for her, but she and her husband took special care to be with him often, and it helped a lot. Being able to be around him and watch him grow up has actually been a blessing in helping them heal from that loss.

    We will pray for Rachel and Matt at this difficult time.

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  3. Oh, Susan! I'm so very saddened to hear this news. Matt and Rachel(and all of your family members) will be in my prayers as they mourn the loss of their precious baby. God holds you all in the palm of His hand. May He shower all of you with His peace that passes all human
    understanding.

    Sara K.

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  4. "And our eyes at last shall see Him,
    Through His own redeeming love;
    For that child so dear and gentle
    Is our Lord in heav'n above;
    And He leads His children on
    To the place where He is gone.

    Not in that poor, lowly stable
    With the oxen standing by
    Shall we see Him, but in heaven,
    Set at God's right hand on high.
    Then like stars His children, crowned,
    All in white, His praise will sound!"

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  5. Susan, we're so sorry for the loss of Rachel and Matt's child and your grandchild. How heartbreaking; our prayers are with you all!

    Jacqui

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  6. Susan, I'm so sorry about your grandbaby. You're right, it can be very hard to go to church and hear God's Word when we are grieving. It can also be very hard to deal with the people. But for me, I found that it was exactly what I needed. I NEEDED to hear that God was loving and caring for my baby and for me.

    When I found out I lost Noah, a midwife in a chatroom said to me "May God give you the peace that passes all understanding, and keep your heart and mind in Christ Jesus." I heard that every week in church, but at that moment felt like I had never REALLY heard it before. I pray for the peace that passes all understanding for Rachel and Matt, and for you and your entire family, and that He keeps everyone's hearts and minds seeking comfort in Him.

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  7. RPW, I figure this is what the back pew is for. You can slip into the Service one minute late, sit in the back pew, and slip out when the closing hymn is nearly done. If you can't face the people, and if you're afraid of the tears flowing, you just take the back row and boot the mom with kids to the next-to-last row. She'll understand.

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  8. Keeping you all in prayer, and I can definitely relate to needing to hear the words that make me cry. Even four years later, some hymns or passages of Scripture will reduce me to tears.

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  9. Praying for you all, Susan. Please let her know that we also lost our first child. We have four still with us. It doesn't hurt any less, but it doesn't mean they're won't be other children.

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  10. I'm so sorry. How heartbreaking.

    I like the back pew idea. 'Cept at our church, the front pews are where nobody would pay any attention to you!

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