A Mystery

Matthew Hewitt went home to be with God this weekend. His wonderful mother, who I've known for several years, did something that shocked us all. As we went to the memorial service this morning, I didn't know what to say to Mrs. Laurie. Just as Matthew was a friend to all he met, his mother is a mom to everyone, with her loving and gentle, yet enthusiastic spirit. I couldn't bear the thought of going today and seeing her grief in this heart-rending time. Before I hugged her after the service, I, along with dozens of others, would witness a tremendous mystery. As a worship song played at the end of the service before the funeral procession, Mrs. Laurie stood up and raised her hands, worshiping the Lord, a broad smile on her face. In slow, cinematic-motion style, everyone in the building began to rise to their feet and worship along with her, after several tense seconds of this bereft mother worshiping the Lord...alone. How can a person rejoice so in such a time of grief? How does God provide such grace in the midst of such agony? The grace of God is mysterious. It is enveloping Matthew now, and it will now become a more intimate concept than ever before to the Hewitt family.