On May 21st, 2008, Steven Curtis Chapman’s five-year-old daughter, Maria Sue Chapman, was killed in an accident. The hardest thing about this accident was that Maria was accidentally killed by her older brother, as he was driving into the driveway of their home.
I can’t even imagine the devastation and the pain that the whole family must have gone through. Not only were they grieving over the loss of their daughter, but they had to comfort their oldest son of the guilt and remorse.
After the accident, it left Steven Curtis Chapman asking a lot of questions. Sometimes those “why” questions can really haunt us. But by God’s grace, he was able to trust in God’s Sovereignty, even though at times it does not make any sense. It reinforced the importance of having faith and hope in his life.
Out of this tragedy, Chapman wrote a song that was deeply personal and powerful. It just reminded me of how God is in the business of redemption and turning things around. I really don’t know how the world can live without this kind of perspective due to all the pain and suffering in this world. If this is the “opiate of the masses” then please give me some more because I rather die with hope rather than in despair.
by Steven Curtis Chapman
It was the day the world went wrong
I screamed til my voice was gone
And watched through the tears
as everything came crashing down
Slowly panic turns to pain
As we awake to what remains
and sift through the ashes that are left behind
But buried deep beneath
All our broken dreams
we have this hope:
Out of these ashes, beauty will rise
and we will dance among the ruins
We will see Him with our own eyes
Out of these ashes, beauty will rise
For we know, joy is coming in the morning
in the morning, beauty will rise
So take another breath for now,
and let the tears come washing down,
and if you can’t believe I will believe
for you.
‘Cuz I have seen
the signs of spring!
Just watch and see:
Out of these ashes, beauty will rise
and we will dance among the ruins
We will see Him with our own eyes
Out of these ashes, beauty will rise
For we know, joy is coming in the morning
in the morning
I can hear it in the distance
and it’s not too far away.
It’s the music and the laughter
of a wedding and a feast.
I can almost feel the hand of God
reaching for my face
to wipe the tears away, and say,
“It’s time to make everything new.”
“Make it all new”
This is our hope.
This is the promise.
This is our hope.
This is the promise.
That it would take our breath away
to see the beauty that’s been made
out of the ashes
out of the ashes
That it would take our breath away
to see the beauty that He’s made
out of the ashes
out of the ashes
Out of these ashes, beauty will rise
and we will dance among the ruins
We will see Him with our own eyes
Out of this darkness, new life will shine
and we’ll know the joy is coming in the morning
in the morning, beauty will rise!
Oh, Beauty will rise
Oh, Beauty will rise
Oh, oh, oh, Beauty will rise
Oh, oh, oh, Beauty will rise
Oh, oh, oh, Beauty will rise
Here is a news report of the memorial service.