"Jesus help...and be glorified."

From the book, Grief to Glory:

"Johann Sebastian Bach was master musician who left us a wealth of worshop music of the highest order and beauty. After composing a piece of music, he often closed his manuscript with the initials, 'S.D.G.' (Soli Deo Gloria - 'To God Alone Be Glory'). Many of his works also began with the abbreviation 'J.J.' (Jesu Juva or 'Jesus, help me').

It is not well known today that Bach was a bereaved parent. In fact, he was married twice (his first wife predeceased him), and of the twenty children born of his two marriages, he saw thirteen of them carried to the grave. Bach did his best to instill courage into his second wife's suffering heart by giving her a music book. Three times he wrote into the book variations of a simple tune he composed for her based on the hymn 'Fred Not, my soul; on God rely.'

Despite the grief that surely must have characterized much of his life, Bach was able to raise his thoughts to the grandeur and majesty of Christ, and from his pen flowed hymns of praise like the familiar, 'Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring' and 'My heart Ever Faithful,' the latter of which has the following verse:

My heart ever faithful, sing praises, be joyful;
Sing praises, be joyful, they Jesus is near.
Away with complaining, away with complaining,
Faith ever maintaining, my Jesus is near.

Oh, to have such simple, childlike trust in God as Father. Every day we who have lost children should remember the example of Bach and pray, 'Jesus, help me,' as we rise from bed and, 'Glory to God alone,' when the day is done."

My prayer is that I, by grace alone, would do the same.