Jim's Prayer for Henry, 6/14/06

We can still recall the beautiful sunny Sunday morning in February you gave Henry to us. That was the day the fun began: a red-headed boy filled with talent and laughter and love. And he was ours. And for almost 10,000 days we got to keep him. A boy who started out shrimpy, but grew to be the tallest man ever born in our family, a man who loved us, and his friends, and his wife and son, with a fierceness and sweetness few will ever know.

We'll never forget him, nor the last time we saw him that morning, heading out into what we thought would be an ordinary day, but what would turn out to be his last day. That afternoon he came for the last time to the edge of the world and then allowed himself, just that once to fall off, and how we wish we could have been there to throw our arms around him and hold him safe, and say, no no no this is just a big misunderstanding; this is not what to do! Come back!

But Father that was also the day he appeared in your country and we trust you came out on the porch to meet him, just like you welcomed the prodigal son so long ago. We know, Father, that the story of the prodigal son and his loving father was really a story about us and you. And we like to imagine the day Henry came to you, how while he was yet a long way off, you saw him, and filled with compassion you hiked up your robes, and ran to him, and put your arms around him and kissed him. And we know he recognized you the first moment he saw you, and was glad. Father, make him feel welcome in that beautiful land, and hold him in your arms, because our arms are too short to reach him right now, and wipe away every tear from his eyes, as is written in your book. Never again will he hunger. Never again will he thirst. And our fondest wish is that you would allow us to walk with him one day, there with you, in the sunshine, all sorrows past.

Father we are mindful that another One came from you into the world, and this your only son. They say he too was a man of sorrows acquainted with grief, who nevertheless stood his ground in loving us and stood up for us in the face of our greatest enemies, sin and death. He stood alone at the end too, like Henry did, in a world that misunderstood him, and HE lives today to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, and comfort for all who mourn. For all those who are brokenhearted today we pray you bind up their hearts, and though they walk through the valley of the shadow of death that they will fear no evil, for you are with them.

And finally, Father, as we leave, put it in our hearts to hold all our children a little closer tonight, and draw them to us, and remind them in all ways that we can that they are loved, as you have loved us.

Offered by Jim Roberts at the close of Henry's memorial service, June 14, 2006