Comments on: Crossing the Jordan

By: El'endia Starman

El'endia Starman — Sat, 06 Oct 2012 19:28:51 +0000

I had this mental image a few days ago when I read that, and it has stuck with me since. The mental image was of you and your wife standing next to each other in the pews, you on the right and your wife on the next. While the song is playing, you're leaning on the pew in front of you, shoulders slightly hunched, and head bowed. And even though my perspective is from behind you, I know tears are leaking out of your eyes.

The feel I get from that mental image is somewhat hard to describe. Though it is sad, it is also...Good. It is True in a way few things are.

By: waxeagle

waxeagle — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 18:17:51 +0000

This is one that we sing relatively frequently at church and I didn't used to be a very emotional person, but it doesn't fail to bring tears to my eyes now. Heck, I'm welling up a bit at work just thinking about the lyrics.

By: affablegeek

affablegeek — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 17:58:23 +0000

@Wax, I know it sounds cliche to say, "I'm sorry for your loss," but I can tell you it is genuinely heartfelt. Just this week, I was remembering an intensive class in seminary when the professor decided to play the song, "Blessed Be your name." You have to remember, this was a class full of touchy-feely peopl, and I was "the iceman." I'm not particularly comfortable with emotion.

But when the song said, "Blessed be Your name // On the road marked with suffering // Though there's pain in the offering // Blessed be Your name," I lost it. I lost in ways that I never have before or since. I was bawling like a baby, reflecting on how God is Good, even when the circumstances aren't. Despite what others around me say, I don't feel God's presence very often - but I did at that moment, and I think for a second I got a glimpse of what you describe. God is good. Thank you for reminding me of that.

By: Jon Ericson

Jon Ericson — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 17:20:21 +0000

God is good; all the time. I wish there were more stories of the grief of Christians who are even so praising God and fewer stories of people who lay claim to the name of Jesus to cause grief for others. Thank you for this.

By: Peter Turner

Peter Turner — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 17:17:10 +0000

Thank you for sharing that touching story. My wife and I lost our 3rd baby at about the same time that year. Jude died at only 8 weeks, but it was still heartbreaking.