Precious Jeremy

breathed his last at 3.55 am, on Tuesday, the 11th of October. Harsh sms tone beeped me awake at 7, dragging the dream-like phone call that came in two hours earlier into the consciousness again. A gentle rain was falling, and a cool wind sighed. How fitting, I thought. Rain carries with it both sorrow and hope; it is a symbol of mourning and a promise of renewal, cleansing and rebirth. I lay quietly and listened. God’s Presence is described as Rain. Wind, the Breath of God filled the room and my lungs, and a refrain sang out in my head.

Rain down on me, rain down on me,
Lord let Your Presence fill this place.

Jeremy Lives now, more alive than we can ever be now. One day, we will Live like he does. Fully human and fully alive, clothed in the imperishable (1 Cor 1:54a). Hope sings aloud and faith rejoices at that knowledge.

Yet in the meantime, our eyes are dim with tears. We mourn our loss, grief the absence, and God weeps along with us. One day, we will laugh with Him. Alongside and above the tears, His Love surrounds us, filling and bridging this temporary parting. Thank you God, for Your Presence and Your Assurance and Your Tears.

Let Your rain fall upon me.

First paper on the 24th, and preparation has barely commenced. I would love to spend more time writing on my thoughts above, but the fragmented snapshots above will have to do. I don’t have time the time to spare, but I devoured ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ over yesterday night and today. Mental note to self: don’t walk past the library, bookshelves or any random pile of books at home for the next two weeks. It started with rooting around for something I wanted to share with the cell tonight. Here’s the preview:

If some people really are smarter
than other people and
if some people are really better looking
than other people and
if some people are really happier
than other people and
if some people really are more moral
than other people and
if some people really understand better
than other people and
if God really did make us all that way
and
if he really does love us
and
if we really are going to live together in heaven without being jealous
then I guess those things aren’t really so important after all, are they?

Randy Welch

It’s from a 1971 collection of verse entitled ‘Rappings’ by students of Wheaton College. Ended up reading the slim volume cover to cover and I’ll share some of the other jolting entries in my next posting. Take care till then and please pray for me!