Submitted by Robin Martens, Kinnaird Park Community Church
Recently I rediscovered a song in my music library from 10 years ago that, while it had a great impact on me then, I had long since forgotten about it. It was a song by Nicol Sponberg, All Things New. It is a great song about our hope in Jesus for a new creation where “all things are made new.” It deeply encouraged me!
My rediscovery of this powerful song prompted me to google Nicol to see if there was a story behind her song. I came across a YouTube interview, Nicol Sponberg: Heartache and Healing, and I was not prepared for what I heard. Her prime motivation for the song was the passing of her son.
She spoke about the deep abiding pain of her loss, but also, of her hope of being reunited with him in the new creation forever, and that this earthly experience of losing him will seem like nothing more then 15 minutes. What an amazing perspective, rooted in the enduring truths of the gospel of Jesus!
This finding further sparked my memory of an article by Cameron Cole, with Core Christianity, on the loss of his son and the hope he shared with those of similar loss. What spoke to me most from his article, An Open Letter to the Parent Who has Lost a Child, was how he viewed the unimaginable pain of such loss.
He said that over time there was a small measure of healing, but it never fully goes away in this life. In fact, it is not meant to this side of heaven. Rather, some pain remains as a special reminder of your child and your love for them, and that you will see them again in glory.
These testimonies bring to mind great truths like, “For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep” (1 Thessalonians 4:14). And, “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4).
While I thank God for these stories of hope in the most difficult experiences, it is hard for me to share them. Even though my wife and I once came close to losing a child, we have not lost a child. So, I cannot entirely relate.
Still, I encourage all who read this to hope in Christ, who has overcome for us.
Robin Martens is the pastor of Kinnaird Park Community Church.