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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: Sharp (03/07/13)
Grief relating to death is always hard to bear. Especially to a parent, the loss of a child transcends all other sorrows. This truth was brought home to me when I heard about the sudden and tragic death of my best friend’s only son. Too shocked to weep and too dumb to speak I could offer no comfort to my friend. All the usual words of sympathy seemed irrelevant, hollow and meaningless in the face of such agony. I tried to search the scriptures to find God’s words and promises to console my friend. I needed answers to my questions and I knew that the only place I could find them would be in my Bible.

My search started with the first book of the Bible, Genesis. Adam and Eve the first human parents had two sons. One day in a fit of anger Cain, the older boy, murdered his brother in the field. In punishment for his sin God cursed him to be a fugitive and vagabond in the earth. Thus in one day Adam and Eve lost both their sons. I can imagine them holding hands and gazing in anguish at the earth that had opened up to receive their son’s life blood. God was their only comfort for they had no family or friends (Genesis 4:10-16).
Continuing I read about that righteous man Job who lost his ten children when their house collapsed and killed them all. In his grief Job said, “The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord”(Job 1:21). I read about King David who fasted and prayed and pleaded for three days before God to spare his son. On the third day the child died and David said, “My child has gone. Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him but he shall not come to me.”(2 Samuel 12:23).

My search ended at the cross. Even the Father God, the almighty, had to turn away His face unable to bear the grief of watching His son suffer on the cross. Words cannot portray the sorrow of the blessed Mary as she opened her arms to receive the broken, bleeding, lifeless body of her firstborn as they lowered Him from the cross.

King Solomon said it all when he wrote “Is there anything whereof it maybe said, ‘See this is new?’. It hath been already of old time which was before us” (Ecclesiastes 1:10). But why is it that only some are called to bear the pain of the sharp arrow-head of grief piercing their heart? Is it because that those who share in the agony of the cross are the ones who also share in the glory of the joy of resurrection? Are these the chosen generation, the royal priesthood, the holy nation, a peculiar people? Are these the ones that proclaim the praises of Him who has called them out of the darkness of their anguish into the joy of His marvelous light? (2Peter 2:9). I believe this is the answer to my question. “He that goeth forth and weepeth , bearing precious seed , shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him” (Psalms 126:9).
(All Bible references are taken from the King James Version of the Bible)
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This article has been read 596 times
Member Comments
Member
Date
C D Swanson 
03/14/13
Beautifully written from start to finish with powerful images and words to bring home an important message.

God bless~
Shann Hall-LochmannVanBennekom 
03/15/13
I think you did a really nice job on the story. There is nothing like the loss of
a child. I like how you use examples from the Bible to illustrate your point. Good job.
Judith Gayle Smith-Owens Vitouswykegardinerclark
03/20/13
Piercing and to the point. Thank you.
Linda Berg
03/22/13
I have two grandmothers who's memories were invoked while reading this delightful story. The cucumber salad, the lack of running water in the house, the hot house without the air conditioning, the wood stove in the corner, the time shared between grandmother and grandaughter, even if the time was spent in working together.

Beautiful memories for me were brought to mind as I read this.

Thank you for the details in this story that brought it alive for many of us in relationship to our grandmothers.
Linda Berg
03/22/13
Whoops! I wrote the previous comment on the wrong page. Sorry about that.

I like the title because the Arrow-head of Grief is such an accurate picture of the sharpness of grief, especially with the loss of a child.

Your thoughts about what to say or do for someone who has suffered that loss are articulated well.