"A Pierced Soul"

 "Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene." (John 19:25 KJV)

  "Simon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying, "Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised. I have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for all people. He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!"" (Luke 2:28-32 NLT)

 There are some things we go through in this life that leave a scar, a very vivid image, that will never really go away, no matter how hard we try, it stays as clear as the day we first looked at it. I recall the moment I was with my son, as he laid there in that hospital bed, already dead, but still hooked up to the monitor that was on the wall. When the monitor started acting up, I asked the nurse, "What's up with that thing?" He just unplugged it, and said, "Don't worry about that, it doesn't matter!" 

 At that exact moment, I had been hanging onto my son, as was his grandmother, and it became clear to me that he had already passed! For twenty minutes we had been standing around him, holding on to his hands, telling him we loved him, and hoping for some sort of sign; while he laid there, an empty vessel! As I realized what was happening, I asked the nurse, "Is he dead?" He replied, "Most likely," as if it was absolutely a normal situation.  

 That was some weird experience, to say the least; but it convinced me how much I will never trust any hospitals again, ever! Worse than that, a nurse who worked there and was a J.W., who's house I had inspected several weeks before, came up to me as we were leaving, and said, "Welcome to my house!" And then she walked off with a grin on her face. 

 I felt rather angry, but I gave everything to the Lord and worked on getting funeral arrangements, almost immediately. I had been planning on getting some plots for Marianne and myself, when suddenly my son needed one first. It was well with my soul! As much as I felt hurt, my pain was not unbearable or making me upset or angry; just the opposite, it motivated me to get things done! 

 And then, after having a very wonderful funeral service, we all headed out to the Cemetary to have a small graveside service. I was driving the Motorhome, as I had my wife and her nurse inside; it was going to be a very long day, so she was going to need to be changed and out of her chair for a while. Eight hours in the chair is not very good for her, so, from the grave site to the place where we were having the celebration of life, she was able to stretch out and rest.  

 When I pulled into the cemetery, Tim, the grounds keeper was standing by the gravesite with his hands on his hips. I thought maybe we were late, but we really weren't. Then the hurst made its way out to the site, and the funeral director got out, greeted Tim, and then joined him; both of them looking at me, with their hands on their hips.  

 I unloaded Marianne and made my way out to them, curious about what might be going on. As soon as I arrived, they pulled me to the side and I was informed that they could not get the permit, because they still did not have a death certificate. So, I told them we would have the graveside service as planned; and after all the guests had headed out to where we were going next, they could just put him back in the hurst and take him back to the funeral parlor.   

 As it was, the death certificate had not been issued because of the determined time of death was in dispute; not by me, but between the physicians and the nurses. When I saw the actual death certificate, the time of death was determined to be: "Noon". Wow, really! Very suspicious, to say the least. But it is what it is, because he really isn't dead, he is with the Lord! 

This might be a little off the radar, but you need to know, Mary was hurting for her son! This is hard to grasp, to see the child that she raised, there in a very battered state, hanging upon that cross! It wasn't like she didn't expect it to happen, because she was well aware of what He had been saying, and how He would be killed. But she also knew who He was, and what He came for, and believed in what He said! 

 All these things were tucked inside of her heart, as she gazed up at Him, she was amazed! As Matthew Henry puts it: "We know not what we can bear till we are tried, and then we who has said, My grace is sufficient for thee." We endure, because He endured that cross...

"Jesus' parents were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simon blessed them, and he said to Mary, the baby's mother, "This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, but he will be a joy to many others. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him. As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul."" (Luke 2:33-35 NLT)