Just found out this afternoon that an old friend lost her spouse. I literally remember seeing a facebook post of the two of them having a wonderful time just the other day, and then, this.
I’m by no means close with this old friend as we’ve not really spoken over decades, but I did run into her back home in Fremont a couple of years ago over Christmas, and it was good to catch up just a bit while watching our kid(s) (we only had Ezra at the time) at the park.
As I was praying for her and her two boys while just doing my work in the biosafety cabinet- praying just for God’s presence to envelop them, to be palpably present- I began to weep. It probably seems strange to weep on behalf of someone you haven’t really seen or spoken with over decades- but maybe that’s just God’s way of gifting me with a glimpse of how He weeps with the pain of His children, even as He knows His good purposes will be accomplished through every evil and catastrophe brought on ultimately by Adam’s sin. Just like how Jesus wept at Lazarus’ death, our Lord is all too familiar with the pain and suffering of our existence, because He bore all our sorrows- and yet came out the other side victorious.
I’m so thankful that her and her family are believers- they have this sure hope that this life is not all there is- that the best is truly yet to come. To my friend- may our Father graciously lead you and your boys, and draw you ever nearer to Himself, showing Himself faithful and good in every high and low that is to come.
Beauty for Ashes 