There is No Night There

It is so true that God brings good from the very thing that Satan means for harm. I can think of so many examples, I mean really, the longer I live the longer the list gets. This past week I attended the funeral of the 17 year old son of a dear family in our community. He knew the Lord...was an incredible young man who left his mark on many, many hearts, not the least of which...his 7 siblings. He left us unexpectedly and far too soon. At his home-going service there were tears shed, of course, but more striking were the testimonies of encounters with Ben. Personal encounters between Ben and his co-workers, teachers, friends, youth leaders, cousins, uncles, neighbors and acquaintances. A common cord ran through each story, and that was Ben's compassion, Ben's love, Ben's hand shake, Ben's encouragement, Ben's service to others.

We all have experienced loss. We all have known grief. But we do not grieve as the world grieves, with no hope. As Christians we have hope in the knowledge that we will meet our loved one again, and hope in the reality of the resurrection.

One of Ben's favorite songs was performed for his family at the funeral. It's called No Night There, It is an old Hymn and one I had never heard. Below is the rendition we enjoyed. Thanks Ben, for teaching me a new song, and for the hope it brings to my heart for the future. Hope in my heart is just one tiny way God brought good from something Satan meant for evil. May Ben's family discover hundreds more.

 In the land of fadeless day
Lies the city foursquare;
It shall never pass away,
And there is no night there.

 God shall wipe away all tears,
There’s no death, no pain, nor fears,
And they count not time by years,
For there is no night there.

All the gates of pearl are made,
In the city foursquare;
All the streets with gold are laid,
And there is no night there.

All the gates shall never close
To the city foursquare;
There life’s crystal river flows,
And there is no night there.

There they need no sunshine bright,
In that city foursquare;
For the Lamb is all the light,
And there is no night there.

 God shall wipe away all tears,
There’s no death, no pain, nor fears,
And they count not time by years,
For there is no night there.