On The Other Side of Mourning

She longed for the other side of mourning.  Her heart yearned to watch joy rise from her horizon of grief and her soul ached to hear the first red bird’s melody harken the end of her darkness. Perhaps then she could see, she thought, what was on the other side of mourning. Would colors come to life across her fields? Would the morning caress her face? It had been so long since she’d seen the other side of mourning and her memory of what it was like faded like her smile.

Pain resided deeply inside her. Planted in her soil were grieving seeds watered with the fountains of her great deep. Her eyes, painted with all her shades of blue, no longer had the strength to cry.  She breathed in the air of her despair and was unable to exhale. Her head fell forward, surrendering to her demise.

“But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah.” Psalm 3:3-4

She laid down and slept; and awaked;

on the other side of mourning

for the LORD sustained her. 

Joy came down from His Holy Hill and rose over her horizon of grief. Creation sang a melody harkening the end of her darkness. Her long night subsided as all the colors of her field came to life in her eyes, adding a new palette to all her shades of blue. The fountains of her great deep burst forth with healing waters that refreshed her as they fell, cascading down her cheeks. Morning’s Star caressed her face and wiped her tears with His palms of providence, whispering her new day’s song.

Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily; and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall by thy reward. Isaiah 58:8

Her brief stay on the other side of mourning was filled with treasures and pleasures that stored up deep inside her soul for her journey back into the darkness. Joy, who rose up over her horizon of grief, was more than a memory - He was her constant companion. Her Creator, who made His Creation sing for her His songs of love, was her Sustainer and the Lifter of her head. The Healing Waters, who refreshed her soil with Faith, her Gift. The LORD, she knew, having come down from His Holy Place was her reward both in the darkness and in the light.

Morning’s Star embraced her with His Palms of Providence. Salvation’s smile graced her lips with His Holy Kiss. And Peace made His home in her, assuaging her with His Covenant to carry her through the darkness, over and over and over again, and again, to the other side of mourning.

Salvation belongeth unto the LORD: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah. Psalm 3:8