Papa's Place

Just one day short of six months from the time we welcomed, and way to quickly said goodbye to our seventh grandchild, Delia Jean, Verna and I find ourselves driving to Minnesota to welcome our eighth grandchild Aelah Mae into this world.  I'm about half way through the book "I Will Carry You", that Verna had read and recommended for me to read, when I come across the following Bible passage and the author's comments listed below.  Credit God in 2 Samuel and Angie Smith for these words of comfort as we go through these times of great joy and heavy sorrow.

God's Word:

19 David noticed that his attendants were whispering among themselves, and he realized the child was dead. “Is the child dead?” he asked.
“Yes,” they replied, “he is dead.”
20 Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they served him food, and he ate.
21 His attendants asked him, “Why are you acting this way? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept, but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat!”
22 He answered, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, ‘Who knows? The LORD may be gracious to me and let the child live.’ 23 But now that he is dead, why should I go on fasting? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.”

 Angie Smith's comments:

She will not return to me.
Six words that will shape every one of my remaining day on Earth.
It was a season that was cut short, and we continue to grieve the loss of what she would have been.  Yet we also believe that David’s words bring unspeakable hope and remind us that we do not wait in vain.  No, she will not come back to us.  But the Lord has gifted us with the rest of the story. His Word is water to our thirsty souls, and we drink deep of the promise He has made to us.  If you have walked the valley of grief, or are walking it right now, I want you to know that I don’t have the answers.
I wholly believe that He is real and that He is in control.
I believe He is working everything in my life, and your, for good.
I believe He can.
But if He didn’t
I stand beside you in spirit, weeping, and I pray for the promise of eternity to be carved deeply, unmistakably, into the very fiber of your hurt.  Do you believe that the Lord is who He say He is and that He has accomplished what He say He has accomplished?  If you do, then know that you are walking a road that leads to Him and to your precious lost children.
No, they will not return to us.
But one day, not so far from now, we will go to them.