I was working in my home office Wednesday morning, wondering what my message would be this week. While I was working, I often play background music that I love. Usually my choice of music is country, which is my favorite category (along with the 60s music!). I have a Pandora account so it is set up to play many of my favorite country artists. I have a number of artists that I love but no doubt Alan Jackson is my favorite. I don’t know if many of you remember, but about 2 years ago, I had the opprtunity to preach at Covenant 2 consecutive Sundays. I chose to do both sermons on 2 of my favorite Alan Jackson songs, Remember When and The Older I Get. His song Remember When
is about a couple that has been married for a lifetime and looking back at the memories from a married life well lived. His song The Older I Get is about an individual later on in life
Reflecting on the things that are most important in his current life. Both songs resonate so much with me and I hope they did to those who attended church those 2 Sundays and heard the messages.
I have heard many of the songs on my Pandora country station many times over the years and seldom stop and listen to all the words, but I know many of the messages being given. For some reason, I stopped working when a song started that morning and listened. The name of the song was Don’t Worry About Me and sung by Alan Jackson. Here are the lyrics to that song:
Why did she have to go → So young I just don’t know why
Things happen half the time → Without reason, without rhyme
Lovely, sweet young woman → Daughter, wife and mother
Makes no sense to me → I just have to believe
She flew up to heaven on the wings of angels
By the clouds and stars and passed where no one sees
And she walks with Jesus and her loved ones waitin’
And I know she’s smilin’ sayin’, don’t worry ’bout me
Loved ones she left behind Just tryin’ to survive
And understand the why Feelin’ so lost inside
Anger shot straight at God Then askin’ for His love
Empty with disbelief Just hopin’ that maybe
She flew up to heaven on the wings of angels
By the clouds and stars and passed where no one sees
And she walks with Jesus and her loved ones waitin’
And I know she’s smilin’ sayin’, don’t worry ’bout me
It’s hard to say goodbye Her picture in my mind
Will always be of times I’ll cherish And I won’t cry ’cause
She flew up to heaven on the wings of angels
By the clouds and stars and passed where no one sees
And she walks with Jesus and her loved ones waitin’
And I know she’s smilin’ sayin’, don’t worry ’bout me
Don’t worry ’bout me Don’t worry ’bout me
The song can be heard at
if you are interested in hearing it. As I listened to the words from this song, I started getting goosebumps. For any of you who remember my sermon about a year ago on goosebumps, you know that I believe goosebumps are a way God communicates with us through our conscience when he is sending us a message. I also started thinking about Madge Bush. Now Madge was certainly not young in years when she passed recently, but it doesn’t mean some of us didn’t think she was taken from us too soon. We also could find comfort in Alan’s words in his chorus:
She flew up to heaven on the wings of angels
By the clouds and stars and passed where no one sees
And she walks with Jesus and her loved ones waitin’
And I know she’s smilin’ sayin’, don’t worry ’bout me
What comforting words for anyone who lost a loved one too early. It also made me think of Tina who has lost a number of friends recently who have gone home too early in their life … and Tina’s and my good friend Buddy who lost his wife too early. I am sure you can all think of someone who you feel the same way about.
Isaiah 55:8-9 – “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. 9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
We can’t begin to understand God’s plan for each of us but we know He always has our best interests at heart.
Romans 8:28 – And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, whohave been called according to his purpose.
Someday we will understand it all when we arrive home with our loved ones.
Revelation 21:4 – ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
Since there will never be a tear in heaven, nothing will be sad, disappointing, dark, or wrong.
John 3:16 – For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
May God continue to bless our lives and lead us home peacefully when it is our time.