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Beauty Will Rise at Thanksgiving

Rose Kennedy buried four of her own children–all of whom met tragic ends. Her oldest son Joe was killed in action in World War 2. Her daughter Kathleen died in a plane crash in Europe. Her sons John and Bobby died by the assassin’s bullet. At the end of her life she wrote this:

“It has been said that time heals all wounds. I don’t agree. The wounds remain. Time—the mind, protecting its sanity—covers them with some scar tissue and the pain lessens, but it is never gone.”

I have never known that kind of grief. It is hard to imagine. And I would not dare gainsay her experience. Nevertheless, I am thankful today that there is more to the human story than this.

I have been listening this week to Steven Curtis Chapman’s testimony that this is indeed not the end of the story. His new album “Beauty Will Rise” is a meditation on his family’s experience since the tragic death of his little girl Maria last year. His words are anguished, yet filled with gospel-soaked hope in Christ. In the song “Beauty Will Rise,” he testifies that one day the pain will be gone.

Out of these ashes beauty will rise
And we will dance among the ruins
We will see it with our own eyes
Out of these ashes beauty will rise
For we know joy is coming in the morning
In the morning

I can hear it in the distance
And it’s not too far away
It’s the music and the laughter
Of a wedding and a feast
I can almost feel the hand of God
Reaching for my face to wipe the tears away
You say it’s time to make everything new
Make it all new

There is coming a day when God will make all things new. He will wipe every tear away and grief will be banished forever (Revelation 21:4-5). I am thankful for this gospel truth, and I am thankful to Steven Curtis Chapman for reminding me of it.

Happy Thanksgiving!

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