“Would you know my name
If I saw you in heaven?
Would it be the same
If I saw you in heaven?
Time can bring you down,
Time can bend your knees.
Time can break your heart,
Have you begging please, begging please.”

In 1991 Eric Clapton’s four year old son Conor fell to his death from a 53rd story apartment window in NY. His song “Tears in Heaven” was written partly as a tribute to his son and partly as therapy to deal with the pain. Not having suffered the death of a child I cannot truly understand the depth of pain and sorrow it brings. You who have, do.

3000 years ago King David began to understand the consequences of his sin with Bathsheba and Uriah when the son from that affair became ill and died. Having been warned by Nathan, David knew it was coming and that it was because of his sin. So for seven days while the child lay dying David was on his face before God, “begging please, begging please”. He wouldn’t eat, or get up to care for himself the whole time the child was dying (2 Samuel 12:15-17).

Thinking his grief would be overwhelming the servants were afraid to tell David when the child died, but he surprised them by getting up, washing up, dressing up and then going to the tabernacle to worship God. Then he came home and ate (2 Samuel 12:18-20).

Through it all David’s renewed trust in God was manifest. When the astonished servants asked why he was better after the child died, he demonstrated why he was a man of great faith. He explained what they (and we) should have known - God’s mercy was still possible while the child was alive. He wasn’t asking God why, instead he was asking God to spare the child. Once the child died David knew that the boy wouldn’t return but that they would be reunited in heaven. “But now that he has died; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.” (2 Samuel 12:23). David knew it wouldn’t be the same, but he would know his son in heaven.

Oh that we all would have such hope and trust in the God of Heaven. That through the tears and pain of earthly loss we would truly believe God’s promise of eternal life for those who die in Him. That promise is available for you. Feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions about how you can have that eternal life and that kind of hope.