Yesterday a friend of mine entered the presence of her Savior. It's a glorious, heart-breaking thing. Her suffering is OVER.
I was reminded of when my grandfather died. His suffering was also over. My aunt wrote this poem in tribute to his passing, and so in 2003 I was inspired to paint a response to go with it. I picture any who follow Jesus as trapped on this dark earth, passing through significant pain, into God's glorious light, with arms raised in praise. I find the last stanza of the poem so fitting for the death of my friend!
'Oh boy'
Spoken in dark
moments
at night,
on his narrow cot
the body tired
and sore
weary of this life's
weight.
Gravity, it seemed,
increased
upon the small frame.
'Oh boy',
spoken often enough
that dear friends
knew the phrase.
'Oh boy'
Whispered
in the quietest
breath, last minute,
upon his bed of death,
facing the unknown journey.
Tired,
weariness increased
beyond endurance to see.
And then....
'Oh Boy!'
As he enters the realm of heaven
and stands before his Creator,
in glory
standing among the throngs,
worship upon his lips,
gravity lifted,
arms raised, pain free,
in Adoration.
Oh, Boy!
-written by Diane Hintze
September 2, 2003
