The Red Balloon Reminder
Psalms 147:3-5 — He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds. He counts the stars and calls them all by name. How great is our Lord! His power is absolute! His understanding is beyond comprehension!
Sometimes being the church means tying up a red balloon in the sanctuary.
When Hannah lost her son, Jude, she experienced a loss no parent should ever have to face. Jude had RCDP, and most children with this disorder live only about ten years. But Jude lived to be thirteen.
When he passed away, Hannah was surrounded by love. Her family was there, and her church family walked closely beside her.
During his service, they had red heart balloons. Before everyone left for the cemetery, one accidentally floated up into the high ceiling of the sanctuary.
“We’ll get it later,” they said.
But they never did.
For five months, that red balloon stayed there.
Every Sunday, in the middle of her grief, Hannah would look up and see it. Somehow it reminded her that Jude was not just a memory… and that God hadn’t stepped away from her broken heart.
Then one Sunday she walked into church…
…and the balloon was gone.
She stood there looking up, searching for it, and began to cry.
That’s when the pastor’s wife noticed. She had been looking for the balloon too. She walked over and simply wrapped her arms around Hannah.
A few weeks later, Hannah returned to church.
There was another red balloon.
Only this one wasn’t floating.
Someone had tied it securely to one of the beams so it wouldn’t drift away.
She asked the pastor, “What is this?”
He smiled and said, “I know it’s not the same balloon. But if this is what it takes to remind you that God loves you and He’s with you in this season, then this is what we’re going to do.”
I love that picture.
Psalm 147 tells us the God who counts every star and calls each one by name is also the God who heals broken hearts.
The One who holds the universe together also notices one grieving mother.
And sometimes, He reminds us of His love through the hands of His people.
So if you know someone carrying a grief you can’t fix, don’t underestimate what one small act of love can mean.
You may become the reminder that they’re not walking through it alone.
Because when God’s people stay close to the brokenhearted, they help make God’s presence visible.
A MOMENT TO REFLECT
- Have you ever experienced a simple act of kindness that reminded you God hadn’t forgotten you? What made it so meaningful?
- What does Psalm 147 teach you about God’s heart when it says He both names the stars and heals the brokenhearted?
- Is there someone in your life who is carrying grief and simply needs someone to stay present with them?
- How can you reflect God’s compassion this week through one intentional act of love or encouragement?
- When you’ve experienced loss or heartbreak, what reminders has God used to assure you that He was still with you?
