it was late fall in the year 1873
tragedy upon tragedy had
struck this family
a tragedy at sea
prompted this man
to pen the words to
a hymn so beloved
a hymn to which so
many have clung in
times of tragedy and sorrow
the first verse:
"when peace like a river attendeth my way
when sorrows like sea billows roll
whatever my lot Thou hast taught me to say
it is well
it is well with my soul"
today we as a world cumulative
face a tragedy at sea
as well as on land
I'm sure many know
far more than I
yet I must speak
how do you look in eyes
innocent
haunted
scared
sad
and not feel the
breath knocked
straight out of
your body?
the boats.
the boats too full
the boats too flimsy
the boats often destined
for disaster...
babies
children
teenagers
young adults
moms and dads
grandpas and grandmas
willing to risk life
for a chance at life
and tiny bodies wash up on shore
lying in the breaking waves for all
the world to see. and weep.
and that little boy has a name. Aylan.
and each human life be they young or old
has a name
has a story
has worth
has value
and as each life is extinguished
heaven weeps.
be it death from starvation
or the elements
or murder outright
(for in essence is not
each life lost in this crisis
a murder of sorts?)
or be it by waves crashing
and capsizing throwing
life songs
life stories
into the depth
of the sea
and no matter the cause
those life songs sing on
and those life stories speak on
for a life sings not and speaks not only
when the physical heart beats
no. those songs and stories live on and on
for each song was orchestrated by the
Master Composer
and each story penned by the
Author of Life
and if that very truth does not give worth
to each and every life what will?
and the trains.
who decides who comes?
who decides who stays?
who gets on the train
and who gets left behind?
and how many can you
physically squeeze into a train?
and desperation has daddies
pushing children through windows
and sadly the train is
not headed to the
destination they
believed it was
and who has to pull the
father and mother and baby
off the train tracks where they
lie in utter desperation
all for a chance at a life of safety
a life of opportunity
a life at all...
for many know that
to stay home means certain death
so what is there to lose in
choosing possible death?
for if death is only possible
that means life is possible as well
and the trucks.
smugglers take money
stuff human lives in the back
of a truck...drive down the road...
decide the risk perhaps not worth it
and leave the 71 innocent to die a death
of sheer horror as air runs out.
(and the 71 are likely but a
fraction)
and the desert crossers
with babies and children barely
hanging on
if hanging on at all
however they come
they come with determination fierce
for sometimes life can be worse than death
and to hold onto a dream for a better tomorrow
keeps the heart beating and the heart hoping
and we cannot just say
enough is enough or
not on our watch or
this has to change...
no.
we must kneel
we must cry out for
those with no voice
we must pray as never before
we must give as never before
we must love as never before
and pray the Spirit ignites flames of
passionate fire in our souls
a wave
a movement
a hurricane if you will
of epic proportions to save life
all in the name of Jesus
the One who loved us from death
to life by living to die
and together we sing
"and Lord haste the day when
my faith shall be sight
the clouds be rolled back
as a scroll
the trump shall resound
and the Lord shall descend
it is well it is well with my soul!
It is well.... Praise God! It is well!!!
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