Albert Einstein, the German-born theoretical physicist once remarked: “The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science. He to whom the emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand wrapped in awe, is as good as dead; his eyes are closed. The insight into the mystery of life, coupled though it be with fear, has also given rise to religion. To know what is impenetrable to us really exists, manifesting itself as the highest wisdom and the most radiant beauty, which our dull faculties can comprehend only in their most primitive forms - this knowledge, this feeling is at the centre of true religiousness.” 1 Timothy 3:16 confirms: “Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.”
Mystery has been defined as: Something that is difficult or impossible to understand or explain. “God moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform; He plants his footsteps in the sea, And rides upon the storm.” These enlightening words were written by William Cowper as the first verse of a poem and later released as a hymn. It was entitled; Conflict: Light shining out of darkness. It was accompanied by a verse from St John’s Gospel (John 13:7) which reminds us: “What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.” The mystery of God is reputed by many to be God’s plan of salvation through Jesus Christ.
Wonderment is described as a state of awed admiration and respect. God has been described as “A God of Wonder and Awe.” He is considered as the perfection in life for our aspirations. Hebrews 4:12 reminds us: “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
Only God can do the greatest things in life with His almighty power and love for all. These may include experiences that are perceived to be the function of His divinity and often include miracles. Acts 4:30 confirms: “While you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
Grief is often the aftermath of the loss of a loved one. Everyone in life loses someone or something close to them at some stage. It is an inevitable consequence of life. It was once said by Benjamin Franklin: “In this world, nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” People react differently to the predicament. Some will begin the grieving process almost immediately after the initial shock. Others may refuse to accept that it is real and must be a bad dream. Grief is defined as intense sorrow. The loss may include a close family member, a friend or even a beloved pet.
There was once a lady who had recently lost both her husband and her daughter in a tragic road accident. She had been happily married for fifteen years. The husband was still in the prime of his life and had everything to live for. The couple had given birth to a lovely daughter some seven years earlier and a son ten years previously. The boy was in attendance at a renowned boarding school. On a particular morning, the father offered to give his daughter a lift to school as the weather conditions were appalling. It had been snowing heavily overnight and both he and his wife felt it would be prudent to take the girl to school by car for safety reasons. Unfortunately, the roads were very slippery and as the car travelled along a barrier-less dual carriageway, it hit black ice and skidded across the central reservation and into the path of an oncoming lorry. Both were killed instantly. The widow was bereft and struggled to come to terms with the loss of two people so dear to her in life. The death of her daughter hit her particularly hard and she refused to accept that it had actually happened. The daughter possessed the beauty of a fine emerald and was always full of life.
They were extremely close and did most things together. Their relationship was considered more as best friends, rather than mother and daughter. At the funeral service held jointly, the vicar of the local church who presided, informed the bereaved wife that if she ever felt the need, she was always welcome to visit the rectory for a chat. 1 Thessalonians 4:13 states: “But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.” For several months after the death, she would carry her daughter’s favourite doll around with her wherever she went. She kept it concealed in a small holdall and would have conversations with the beloved toy when she was by herself. This was the only source of comfort for her and kept her daughter's spirit alive within her.
Eventually, she could take no more and decided that she needed to seek advice. She went to her local church and asked to see the vicar. She was shown into the vestry and asked the vicar: “Why should God take my beloved daughter and my husband away so young. I thought He was a God of love, but all He has given me is heartache, grief and sorrow?” The vicar responded: "I have been asked this question many times and it is a difficult one to answer. I understand how you feel. You have both anger and sadness in your heart. Ecclesiastes 3:1-5 states: "For everything, there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing.”
He continued: “I can’t tell you why the Almighty decided to take your husband and young daughter into His kingdom so early in life, that is a mystery that only God can answer, but believe me there was a purpose. We may not know the logic, but one does exist. There is no reasonable explanation that I can give you that will remove your grief except for the fact that the wonderment of God can sometimes cause bewilderment. We search for a valid reason or simplification as to why something has happened. It may not make sense to us because we don’t understand it. All we are left with is a lasting pain that won’t go away. But, believe me, it will in time. Time is a great healer. Revelation 21:4 reminds us: “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away.”
There is no right or wrong way to tackle grief in my mind. Everyone will approach it differently. However, a sense of understanding and faith in God can help. If we look for the positive elements, rather than the negative, then a deeper understanding may evolve which help to answers questions that may be troubling us. If we allow the death of others to overtake everything in life, it will be more difficult to overcome. Prayer to God can be significantly beneficial in times of sorrow. It can help to lessen the pain that one is enduring. It can restore or renew faith which uplifts and shines a new light in our hearts. The taste for prayer may sometimes diminish in times of grief. However, it is important to try to restore it. Continued prayer can lessen the overall sadness which is inherent within and open new doors. Death often creates deep sadness, sometimes even guilt which needs to be eradicated. Life still continues to go on, no matter how we feel. What we should never allow to happen is to let it affect our health. Others in life still depend on us, your son for instance. If we become ill as a result of our grief and emotions, what help will we be able to give them? I hope my words will help you." At that point, the bereaved woman stood up, thanked the vicar for his time and advice and made her way home to contemplate the future. Psalm 31:9-10 reminds us: “Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress; my eye is wasted from grief; my soul and my body also. For my life is spent with sorrow, and my years with sighing; my strength fails because of my iniquity, and my bones waste away.”
Amen.
