The Most Important Lessons
We had a treat in one of the churches in Durban this morning. A stage full of chubby-legged, rosy-cheeked, pig-tailed little ballerinas in white tutus did an adorable ballet for us. All of our hearts were warmed and mothers and fathers who did not have a little angel on stage found ourselves thinking fondly of when our girls were younger, or wishing we'd had girls.
As we clapped them off the stage, I noticed a young mum clutching her baby boy in her arms and I remembered. She'd had a little three year old girl. A little girl who was no longer with us. And my heart sunk as I thought of her agony of remembering.
But the next song started playing and she lifted her face to heaven and sung:
Through it all, through it all,
It is well.
Through it all, through it all,
It is well.
It is well, it is well with my soul.
And although we shed a tear together afterwards, I knew that as she sang, she meant it.
I looked across at my own children and realised that I had no idea how long we had each other. I have no idea how many more words I will speak into their lives on earth, or into their eternal destinies. And it made me realise that there are things that I need them to know. Things that I need to teach them that are more important, more weighty than other things. They must know Who made them and that their true home is heaven. They must know that God loves them and that He has made a way for them to come home to Him, no matter where they wander.
I want them to know that their dad and I love them. I want them to know that they are precious and important, but that their capabilities are given to them for the sake of others. I want them to know that contentment is a choice. I want them to know that their brtohers and sisters are their first, and will be their lasting friends.
There are so many things I want to teach them, but most of all, I want them, despite circumstances, to be able to lift their faces to heaven, and sing, "Through it all, it is well, it is well with my soul!"
