New Year's Day - 2021

The year 2020 has been a time of devastation for millions across the world.

For people in my home state of Louisiana, the tragedy of COVID was especially hard this week.

Luke Letlow had recently won a Congressional seat in his home district of Northeast Louisiana, and he was looking forward to taking the oath of office to begin his service this weekend.

When we first heard of his COVID diagnosis, we all expected him to recover because Luke was seldom still, much less stopped for any length of time. We later heard that he was being admitted to the hospital, and still, we thought this was but a temporary setback on the road to a full recovery.

Yet, Tuesday, the unthinkable happened. Luke died. He was 41 years old. He leaves behind a wife and two small children.

Growing up in Start, Louisiana – a small town of about 1,000 people – Luke Letlow was determined to make a difference in his world. During his high school years at Ouachita Christian School and later at Louisiana Tech University, everyone could see that his interest in public life was deepening and growing.

Throughout his career on Capitol Hill, he showed a distinct ability to keep his focus on the lives of the people he served in ways that brought a sense of empathy, compassion, and joy to his work on Congressman Ralph Abraham’s staff. Now poised to take on the mantle of Dr. Abraham, Luke was ready for what many hoped would be a long career in the United States Congress.

In light of his death, I am reminded of a great hymn by Henry Francis Lyte on this New Year’s Day. Henry Lyte was a faithful minister in England during the early 1800’s who penned many wonderful hymns during his lifetime. Perhaps you might have heard some of his more famous hymns such as Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven or Jesus, I My Cross Have Taken.

Throughout Henry’s life he suffered from many respiratory illnesses that often rendered him bedridden and alone. Ultimately, a respiratory illness would take his life.

Yet, out of his own sickness and grief, he wrote a hymn in 1847 that has become a blessing to many across the world.

Here is the last stanza of this wonderful hymn.

Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes;

Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies.

Heaven's morning breaks, and earth's vain shadows flee;

In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.

This is the meaning and hope as we understand the death of Luke Letlow and others we have lost during this year.

In a world torn apart by sin, sickness and devastation, this truth – and this truth alone – has helped me during this year – and I hope it will help us face a new year as well.

Happy New Year!