The Love Bond
Paul said, "I am convinced that neither death nor life . . .
nor anything else in all creation, will be able to
separate us from the love of God that is in
Christ Jesus our Lord."
-Romans 8:38-39 (NIV)
Like Peter using his muscles to haul in the fishing
nets, I relied on my own strength to make it
through this world. I have always been a competent,
self-reliant, independent person. Whether I
was handling problems and crises as a wife and
mother or as a charge nurse, I relied on my
own resources to manage my life. I did not think
there was any circumstance that my
reason and willpower could not overcome.
But when my 19-year-old son Michael was
killed in a car wreck, I became lost, helpless,
and filled with fear and panic. I could not fix
the situation; I could not undo it. I began to ask
myself, Where is he? Who will take care of him?
I feared that my son, too, was lost and alone in
this "other" world. I could not beg him back
or will him back or even love him back.
My own resources were useless to help me.
In desperation I finally realized that I had to
trust God to take care of my son and to take care
of me. I could only pray, release Michael into
God's care, and learn to trust that God will keep him.
Deja Lerer (Tennessee, U.S.A.)
God of comfort, thank you for the promise that
nothing can separate us from your love. Amen.
