That Knock in the Night

Fear and Grief Flow Mingled Down

When there is a rap on the door at 4:15 in the morning, good news is never expected.

My experience came today when a Kerrville Police Sergeant awakened me to tell me that my son had been the passenger in a motor vehicle accident and airlifted to University Hospital.  Condition unknown, he said, "but he was talking when he left, that is all I know".   Kind but direct, he gave no further enlightenment or succor.

A flurry of phone calls later, the remainder of the family was headed to San Antonio.  Upon arriving at the University Hospital ER we were relieved to find that he was not gravely injured.  Our happiness was then greatly tempered by learning that the driver,  a dear and long-time family friend, had died at the scene of the accident.   Our hearts and prayers go out to her family and children.

Many widows have remarked to me that "life is just a vapor, a mist", too easily blown away by the cold breath of death.  And thus we were to taste of that experience, bearing the guilt  of survivors, whether it be rational guilt or not.  As King David said upon the guilt-accompanied death of his son, "I shall go to him, but he will not return to me." (2 Sam 2:23)  But in our knowledge that Clarissa knew Jesus as her Savior,  our grief  may turn to joy in the knowledge that  "the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible."