I’m setting in our living room on this Thanksgiving night watching the fire in the fire place, reflecting on the day and reading a little news. Wow, what a paradox! The fun family gatherings and amazing feasts of the day almost seem muted now - or maybe just matched story for story with so many accounts of pain, struggle, conflict and tragedy all around us. As I read the stories, my own story of grief and loss seemed magnified in the moment as well. Empty places at the table today and missing conversations with those I dearly love and greatly miss felt like heavy weights around my heart all day.
As my sadness was building my eyes were drawn to the plaque Vicky placed on our fire place mantel when we first moved here. Certainly truer words have never been written! Thank you Horatio Spafford for penning those incredible lyrics of promise and power 150 years ago from the depths of your own loss.
Jesus was speaking to His followers in John 14 about death and loss! It had to be a heavy moment for them as He explained that very soon He would die and what that meant. Then in verse 27 he kind of shifted gears and in the midst of that despair spoke these powerful words; “Peace I leave you, my peace I give you. Not like the world gives it. So don’t allow your heart to be troubled or afraid!”
There it is! Right smack dab in the middle of the deepest kind of grief Jesus broke through, over ruled the pain and fear and helplessness that comes with loss and replaced it with peace - real peace - heaven peace! Then He said - That other stuff is not allowed! I love that part. It’s a part of that declaration that I sometimes overlook. That must have been what Spafford experienced after having buried all five of his children, a son from an illness 2 years earlier and 4 daughters in a ship wreck just days prior. That must have been what inspired him to write his amazing gift to us all - to me this evening!
For that promise, for that power, for that presence, for that song, how can I help but give Thanks - today and everyday!
