Lent By The Lord (Poem)

Poem for Sunday

I met a family last spring. They were one of the customers at the Hotel where I work at. They had an adopted son who was handicapped - he had to come to Kelowna for some treatment. I learned that the parents, and even this son, were believers. I shared some poetry with them, and talked a little with them about some things regarding their son's situation. Last October, when I came back from my Mom's memorial, I found out that this family was staying at the hotel again, so I looked them up. It turns out that their son had passed away during the summer. There were some complications with his death (it was believed that he was given the wrong medication by the hospital staff) - so the father was struggling with anger, not only over the loss but the possibility that it should never have happened humanly speaking). I did my best to remind them from the Bible that God was still in control, and sought to comfort them by sharing the comfort the Lord had given me over the loss of my Mom. Then that night I wrote this poem, as an attempt to remind them to focus on where their son now is - and how he is, what he will be like the next time they see him. In Heaven, all his problems are gone, all his disabilities are removed forever.

Lent By The Lord

Lent by the Lord - for such a little time -
This heritage to treasure, this beloved child of mine.

You brought us love, you touched our hearts,
You gave us joy in so many parts;
In so many reasons, and in so many ways,
We miss you now and will always.

You left us so suddenly - but the Lord was in control,
Though your departure from us leaves us with an empty hole:
In our hearts and our lives, in our home - in every space,
But by faith we know that you are now in a better place.

Though we are grieving and our hearts are wounded and bare,
There is coming a day when we will meet you in the air;
A time of reunion that nothing on earth could sever -
When you will be with us, and with Jesus, forever.

As we imagine that day and think of you with tears,
And we face the future with its unknown fears,
We will rejoice in the fact that you are now made whole -
Running and laughing in Heaven, rejoicing in your soul.

We look forward to that day - when no sorrow will remain -
Oh Lord, come again, and heal our hearts of this pain!
And remind us of Heaven, where we will see our loved one there -
Walking and talking with Jesus with no more worries or care.

Oh Lord, haste the day!

October 7th/05
Jerry Bouey

Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord:
and the fruit of the womb is His reward.
Psalm 127:3