Good Grief

As surely as the Lord lives, and as you live, I will not leave you. 2 Kings 2, verse 2 Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up, and struck the water with it.

The water divided to the right and to the left, and the two of them crossed over on dry ground. When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elijah, Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you? Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit, Elijah replied. You have asked a difficult thing, Elijah said. Yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours.

Otherwise, it will not. As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. Elijah saw this and cried out, My father, my father!

The chariots and horsemen of Israel! And Elijah saw him no more. Then he took hold of his garment and tore it in two. Elijah then picked up Elijah's cloak that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. He took the cloak that had fallen from Elijah and struck the water with it.

Elijah then proceeded to the right and to the left, and he crossed over. Good Grief. A man named Hidesaburō Ueno taught at Tokyo's Imperial University in the 1920s. Every afternoon, he returned on the 3 p.m. train to find his dog, Hachiko, waiting for him. The next day, Professor Ueno suffered a stroke during class and died. When he didn't get off the afternoon train, Hachiko lingered a while, then went home.

The dog returned the next day at 3 o'clock, and the next day, and the day after that, for 10 years. Hachiko's loyalty touched the hearts of many Japanese who came to sit with him. Elisha was similarly committed to his master, Elijah. On the day Elisha knew he would lose him, Elisha refused to let him out of his sight. Then a chariot of fire whisked Elijah to heaven. In 2 Kings 2, Elisha choked out what he saw. My father, my father, the chariots and horsemen of Israel!

He picked up Elijah's cloak, the symbol of the prophet's power that had parted the Jordan moments earlier, and asked, Where now is the Lord, the God of Elijah? He struck the water, which parted as it had for his master. What a bittersweet day! Have you lost someone you love? No words can do justice to your pain. Every sob releases memories of the love you shared. You hurt deeply, because you loved deeply. How bittersweet! Thank God for this beloved person, and for your capacity to love.

Elisha picked up Elijah's cloak. What might you do? Let's pray. Dear Father, thank you for giving us people to love. The pain we feel is worth it. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. As you go about your day, reflect on these questions. What tangible sign or ritual honors the memory of your loved one? How does Jesus help to carry your burden?