"Come and Go"

They come and they go,

And brief is the show,

For even the ones who get old.

I’ve seen and I know,

Through sadness we grow,

And that’s what the Good Book has told.

The smiles and some tears,

And bright, sunny years,

In spite of the trials and pain,

The ones whom I’ve known,

And all their seeds sown,

Have given me life’s richest gain.

They’ve gone, I’m still here,

And I have no fear,

That one day I’ll see them again.

But I can’t help but think,

When my spirits sink,

I sure wish for moments back when.

When we talked on the phone,

Or horseback alone,

And laughed about some little joke.

Gave a handshake, a hug,

Like a heart-lifting drug,

Or a good dream from which you awoke.

But death ain’t no dream,

And yet it can seem,

Unreal when applied to those close.

No way to deny,

We just have to try,

To trust God with those we love most.

They come, then they go,

And somehow we know,

That the Good Lord is still in control.

It’s always the best,

When death comes to test,

To say, Lord, come now and console.

The comfort we get,

It’s still with us yet,

And He only asks us one thing,

To give it away,

When suffering holds sway,

That comfort to others we bring.

”He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.” (2 Corinthians 1:4, NLT)

November 12 is my younger sister’s birthday. She would have been seventy years old had she not died on June 5, 2016. She and her husband drowned in a boating accident. Her death affected far more than I expected. I needed and still need God’s comfort. But that’s exactly what He offers those who suffer. He only asks that we do not hoard it but freely give what we’ve freely received. His comfort flows through us and they are relieved. Receive it, then share it with others.

Lord, help us share Your comfort, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Robert “Shoofly” Shufelt, used by permission. Thanks, Robert, and God bless you.