What is your only comfort in life and death?
That I am not my own, but belong with body and soul, in life and and in death, to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood, and has set me free from all the power of the devil. He also preserves me in such a way that without the will of my heavenly Father not a hair can fall from my head; indeed, all things must work together for my salvation. Therefore, by his Holy Spirit he also assures me of eternal life and makes me heartily willing and ready from now on to live for him. (Heidelberg catechism Q1)
Those words were our confession of faith this morning. A part of the liturgy of the service that is easy to just move through as if it were any random Sunday. But this morning, those words were needed. This morning, as I recited those words aloud with the rest of my church family I realized the importance of the truth told in those words and their relevance in my being able to cope with the death of my son. As I read those words, I quietly changed the me's and I's to George Mason and while it brought tears to my eyes, it also brought a smile to my lips. Thank you, Lord for that gentle reminder of your continued faithfulness and your mighty love for your people. For me. For George Mason.
What is my only comfort in the life and death of my precious son?
That George Mason is not his own, but belongs with body and soul, in life and and in death, to his faithful Savior Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for all George Mason's sins with his precious blood, and has set George Mason free from all the power of the devil. He also preserves George Mason in such a way that without the will of his heavenly Father not a hair can fall from his head; indeed, all things must work together for George Mason's salvation. Therefore, by his Holy Spirit he also assures George Mason of eternal life and makes him heartily willing and ready from now on to live for him.
Powerful truths contained in a short paragraph. I'm thankful that I can know my son is with his savior. I'm thankful that if he can't be here in my home, in the loving embrace of his mama's arms, that he is in heaven with the person who died to save him. The person who gave up everything he deserved, took on everything he didn't deserve, to defeat death and pay our debts, so that death could no longer hold any weight. What a comfort in my own life but so particularly comforting in the short life and then death of my precious son.
I've been chewing on the words to this song all day and I think I'm just going to set them here as a reminder of this day, those truths, and the joy in sorrow that can be found because of and in my faithful Savior Jesus Christ.