
Our oldest son, Kyle is a pastor in Grand Rapids. A couple years ago a family needed his pastoral services. Grandpa had died. Kyle preached his funeral and ministered to the family. A few months later the family called again. This time the news was especially bitter. Their fourteen-year-old son had died at his own hand. The family was devastated. Kyle spent time with them. He prayed with them and listened to their stories.
The boy’s mother and father had divorced. They shared custody. Kyle asked the boy’s mother if she could share a happy memory about her boy. She told him this story:
One summer they drove to Kentucky to visit Natural Bridge. The plan was for them to hike up to the Bridge together. It is a tough hike. On the way up mom ran out of strength. She just couldn’t go on. She found a bench and sat down to rest. Brokenhearted, she told her son, “Go on without me. I’ll have to wait for you here.” He sat down with her. “Mom, I love you. I didn’t come here to see the Natural Bridge. I came to spend time with you.”
She insisted. He took off and ran to the top and quickly returned to join his mom on the bench. He said, “There’s someone up there with an instrument, mom.”They sat there in silence at dusk or a few minutes when, suddenly beautiful music began to drift down from somewhere above them. Not just birdsong and wind in the leaves, but something more.
Someone had hiked up to the bridge with a cello and on the top of the bridge they began play. The music filled the giant amphitheater of mountain and forest with with music.
They sat and listened to the music that day on the bench on the mountainside—music that seemed especially arranged for them. She said; “I will always cherish that memory.”
Deep silence.
Kyle listened to the story quietly and then said; “One day there will be a new heaven and there will be a new earth. I think in the new heaven and the new earth there will still be a Natural Bridge. I think you can go back one day.
As believers in Christ, in your glorified body, you will be able to reach the top together.
Life in this broken world can damage your spirit and threaten your faith, but we have the promises of God that one day all that is wrong in this world will be made right and those who hope in Jesus will be with Him again in a place were divorce won’t divide young lovers and young boys will never again be crushed with despair.
And every mountain and every valley will be filled with music once again.
Bittersweet Farm
April 13, 2022