DYING – DEVOTIONAL
Howdy Friends! The boy sat alone, crying. Sun high overhead, shooting long, straight beams earthward, reaching far into the barn was no help. Grandpop’s soft words could not comfort. Crying seemed the only way.
Grandpop had ridden Blue out to check on the far hayfield. He loved that tall grass swaying in the breeze. “It’s always good to cut it pre-bloom.” He’d told the boy. “Highest protein then.” He’d explained. He’d offered the lad a horse to ride along. But he’d declined. So Grandpop rode out alone, leaving the boy with time to “work on what was eatin’ away at him.”
Grandpop knew what the youngster was wrestling with. It was the first time in the young man’s life death had hit so close. “Times like these are sure enough hard on a fella,” he told ol’ Blue as they struck out. “Especially a young ‘in.”
It was close to an hour until Blue and Grandpop returned. Grandpop rode Blue right into the barn. Rode all the way to the far end. No sight of the boy.
“Hey, young fella!” Grandpop called as he stepped down out of the saddle.
“I’m in here.” The boy called from inside a horse stall. The boy had moved from the hay stack to the stall, seeking comfort from the horse there.
“I’ve sure ‘nough shed my share of tears in a horse mane over the years.” Grandpop, left Blue standing in the isle and leaned over the stall door. “A lot of help an ol’ horse can be. That’s fer sure.”
Eyes red and swollen, the boy looked to Grandpop. “Why’d he have to die? He was my best friend.” Sobs overtook the boy.
Grandpop swung open the door, cradled the boy, and both leaned against the horse. “I can’t tell ya that, son. Life, death, air and breath, all that’s up ta the Almighty.” He hugged the boy hard. “We gotta trust in Him.”
The boy wrestled free. Stood up, backed away. “Trust in God? How? When this happens? How can I?”
Grandpop made a fuss about smoothing the horse’s mane. Then he slid down along the horse’s leg and sat in the straw. He called the boy to his lap. “Son that’s all we got.” He waved his hands. “All this, it don’t matter. We think it matters. We act and live like it matters. But in the end, it doesn’t, my boy. Only God, and our relationship with him matters.”
“But my best friend died.” The boy sobbed. “I hate that!”
Grandpop thought about telling the lad how he’d wrestled with his own faith when his wife died. How he swore at God. How convinced he was that God didn’t know what he was doing. How it had been a long rough road for a long time. But he decided against all that. “I’ve had my share of rough spots, death and sorrow. I’m not tryin’ to tell ya it’s easy, no sir. ‘Cause it ain’t. But I’m hear ta tell ya, trustin’ God is the only way through it that won’t just eat ya up.”
“It isn’t fair.” The boy snapped.
“I know.” Grandpop said. “Grief’ll sure spin us around. It’s part of life.” He gave the boy a hug. “Remember this, God feels our suffering, He’s always with us. Lean on Him. I promise, from the very bottom of my heart, it’ll get ya through.”
Grandpop stood the boy up, “Let’s go unsaddle ol’ Blue and rub ‘im down. Let’s focus on that good horse God blessed me with for a little while. Then we’ll go to the house and look up a verse or two about dumpin’ our sorrows on the Lord.
~ Gitty Up, Dutch.
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Bible Verse – Psalm 46:1 – “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”
Bible Verse – Psalm 34:18 -“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
Bible Verse – Psalms 147:3 – “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”
Bible Verse – Isaiah 41:10 -“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Bible Verse – Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 -“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot.”
Bible Verse – Romans 8:38-39 – “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Bible Verse – 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 -“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles.”
Bible Verse – Matthew 5:4 – “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”
Bible Verse – 1 Corinthians 15:54-55 -“When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: ‘Death has been swallowed up in victory.’”
Bible Verse – Romans 15:13 – “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Bible Verse – Romans 8:28 – “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
Bible Verse – 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 – “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles.”
Bible Verse – Acts 13:36 – “Now when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep; he was buried with his ancestors and his body decayed.”
Bible Verse – John 11:25-26 – “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?’”
