A Message of Hope from a Mother Whose Child Lives in Heaven

My dear friend Susan Rau remembered her son Ian on his birthday today. She and Ian taught me much about loving and trusting God. Susan writes:

"July 26 – A very, very special day – God blessed our family with Ian-Michial born with determination and a sensitive spirit. 

Close to his second birthday, our only son was diagnosed with a rare cancerous tumor entwined in his spinal cord. The prognosis was not good, and the cancer took his life 15 months later. As we watched our son struggle and fight for his life, we prayed that somehow, we could trade places with him; that we could take his cancer on ourselves so that he could live. 

That’s exactly what God did for us. 

He took our “cancer” - sin - and allowed His only son to die in our place. 

He so desires for us to spend eternity with Him that 

He willingly gave His only Son, Jesus Christ, to make a way for us to come to Him. 

Jesus defeated death and rose again so that we would be able to dwell eternally with Him in heaven;

 we have only to trust and follow Him. 

Although young, Ian understood this with his child-like faith and 

now lives in the presence of the Almighty Holy God.

 If Ian could send a message to each of us, it would be only two words, 

“Be there!” 

Be there before the throne of our great God and King, 

where He will wipe away every tear, 

where there will be no more death, or mourning, or pain. 

Will you be there? 

'For God so loved the world that He sent His one and only son, 

that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.' John 3:16"

Thank you, Susan, for your words from God's heart and Ian's heart to ours. I remember when Ian was dying, you wrote me a letter saying God gave you peace when He wrote

"The Lord will fight for you;

you need only to be still."

Exodus 14:14

Those words have calmed many a frantic heart. What joy knowing that whatever our battle, the Lord is fighting for us and He always wins! Hallelujah!

Without assurance of Heaven, there are no splashes of serenity,