Nathan Bert

A mother and a father once planned to have a baby;

It wasn't their first-born child, but the youngest to the three.

They said it should be a boy, for there were two girls already;

And in six years, the Lord has blessed them successfully.

Everything was prepared for this expected one:

From little clothes to nursing bottles,

To lullaby songs, and pillows and blankets,

The must-haves were special for they were all for their dear son.

The family would gather every night,

Just to touch the mother’s belly and sense the baby moving inside.

It was a thrill, a very wonderful feeling;

Believing that the baby is happy when they feel him kicking

Nine months of pregnancy was a hardship for the mother

So she would regularly visit the doctor to check the baby’s temper

For she would often feel unusual discomfort and pain

What the mother worries and fears most, I cannot explain.

The awaited time came; it was the 23^rd of May.

It was so special, for it was also the Sabbath day.

The whole family was excited and waiting,

They were altogether nervous but praying.

But during the night, sad news disturbed the family’s home.

The father came from the hospital all weary and torn.

He came without the mother, but only a box in his hand.

And inside this special, little box was the baby that was planned.

Oh, if you can only see the cries and the wails, as they looked at the lifeless baby sleeping;

The thoughts so loud you can almost hear them screaming:

Why this precious little baby?

Why this innocent child?

The sisters and the brother’s heart broke into pieces,

The grandmother can only be strong for her dear ones.

The father so tired and so miserable: he cannot show his unending tears,

The mother still in bed, unconscious and naïve.

If only their cries and tears can bring this little boy back.

If only they can ask the heavens for a miracle:

They would pray for his life to change its track.

That he would not face this death, but see this world and marvel!

They will not see any more this child grow and learn,

They cannot play with him and see him smile in return,

He will not experience how to be disappointed or be in love,

Or just even live for a moment and praise his Creator above.

But death was not the end for the family.

For they learned of faith though at times they still mourn and grieve,

They learned to be strong though they sometimes still long for a child’s smile, touch, and kiss.

They cherished each other more, and learned that after the tears there is bliss.

As death once shattered their hearts,

It has now become a hope they can impart.

For there is a promise in God’s Word;

A promise we can only but trust and for life hold:

¹³ Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 

¹⁴ For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 

¹⁵ According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.

¹⁶ For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 

¹⁷ After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.

~1 Thessalonians 4:13-17, NIV