★ A Breath of Life

In 1991, famed British guitarist Eric Clapton was stricken with grief when his 4-year-old son Conor died as a result of a fall from an apartment window. Looking for an outlet for his grief, Clapton penned perhaps his most poignant ballad: “Tears In Heaven” It seems that every note weights heavy with the sense of pain and loss that can be understood only by a parent who has lost a child.

Surprisingly, however, Clapton said in a television interview years later, “In a sense, it wasn’t even a sad song. It was a song of belief. When it [says that] there will be no more tears in heaven, I think it’s a song of optimism-of renunion”

The thought of a heavenly renunion is powerful indeed. For everyone who has trusted Jesus Christ for salvation, there is the hope that we will be reunited foreveer in a place where “God will wipe away every tear from [our] eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying” (Revelation 21:4). And, most of all, it is a place where we will “see His face” and forever be with Christ Himself (22:4).

In our times of loss and grief, of tears and sorrow, itsn’t it comforting to know that Christ has purchased for us a heavenly home where there will be no more tears!

~Bill Crowder (Daily Bread)

I actually read this one a little after January 6th, which may not hold much importance for most people, but it does for me. Anyhow, today just brought this up into my mind today. Our family has been struck with a lot of death and sorrow these last few months and it seems that it hasn’t ended yet. Yesterday my great grandmother in China passed away. We found this out after checking the answering machine to see who it was that called us at 11:30 last night. I’m not sure of the details, since I don’t speak Chinese, but it’s a sad time indeed. It’s hard to see my Grandmother cry and sad to think that that sweet little fragile lady is no longer with us. I remember her vividly, I really hope we can find the few pictures we took with her. I’m not sure if she was a christian, but I have a funny feeling she wasn’t. My grandmother is flying to China tonight, and I’m scared, I’m scared she won’t return, though I know the chances of that happening is small… life is fragile.