Day 38 of 4: Jesus Loves the Little Children (12/14/12)

Day 38 of four more years (originally posted on Facebook on December 14, 2012)

Yesterday was tragedy. Horror. Evil. Our human hearts and mortal minds are wracked with pain…the loss of another community became our loss. We are helpless today to explain or comprehend evil on the magnitude exhibited at the elementary school in Connecticut. Sometimes we can understand (not condone) murder in anger, accept murder in self-defense, deplore but comprehend in some way murder in ignorance or for monetary gain. All of those murders are horrific in their own right. Even 9-11 in its cruelty and horror, murder done so brutally, but in a madman's desire to advance his evil cause, can be addressed and "worked through." But the senseless murder of children, the babies, the defenseless little ones, no way. There is nothing this side of hell that compares with the murder of children. Nothing. Deliberately, intentionally taking the most innocent here on earth. I prayed I could say something that would help, put it in perspective, wipe up some tears, anything. But I need help. You know the saying, "Don't put an oxygen mask on your seat mate before you put it on yourself first." It seems my words here are a weak attempt to put any kind of bandaid on this horrible event.

Satan's evil lies and schemes have knocked me to my knees…and there, that is the place I come to you today. On my knees, pleading to God for answers, for help and for a word of encouragement from Him. How sweetly we have been celebrating the Christmas season. Talking about Wise Men, angels and the beautiful carols. Yesterday's words seem like they were written a hundred years ago. Did everything change when this mad man killed our innocents? Was God busy when that was happening? Did He leave us defenseless to protect our children? Is evil too big? The answer, I firmly believe, is a resounding, "No!" Satan is already defeated. He is not omnipotent like our God. His demise is already written in Revelation. He is limited here on earth and he is never original. Is he clever? Yes, and dangerous, too. And he is real, not some hazy spirit or feeling. But God has Satan on the ropes and going down. So if God could have stopped Satan, why didn't he?

The answer is I don't know. I hope that doesn't sound like a "cop out" or a lame answer. Because here are the things I do know: I know for certain that God values life so much that He sent His Son to save us. Also, God loves and values children tremendously. It is recorded in 3 of the 4 gospels the event where Jesus reprimanded his own disciples who were trying to keep Jesus from spending so much time with the children. "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." Matthew 19:14 Another thing I know for sure is that God is "in" tragedies as we see the heroic teachers protecting their little students, the outpouring of love and sympathy as we mourn with the families who face this horrific loss and our President "choking" up as he tried to speak words of comfort to the nation. I also saw interviews of parents who were overjoyed with holding their children who had escaped the killer, yet mindfully aware of the parents who were not so fortunate, those parents who had lost their most precious earthly possession, their children. There was no rejoicing without pain yesterday.

A final truth I know about God is that He does not see death as we do. He knows that death puts us in His arms and with Him. There is rejoicing in heaven at the death of one of God's saints. Somehow that doesn't cover our pain here on earth, as we struggle with the separation that death brings. But here is the image I am planting in my brain on this day: Jesus, with arms wide open, welcoming the babies to Himself. Stroking their hair, comforting them and loving them as they rest in His arms. The Good Shepherd, the eternal Father, and the only One who can give them the peace and love they need. That beautiful image is what I am using to replace the horror of yesterday. Jesus saying, "Come unto me and I will give you rest and peace and relief from what Satan tried to do to you. You are mine. Never fear, for I have overcome the world. Trust in me. They are mine."

"And Jesus took the children in His arms, put His hands on them and blessed them." Mark 10:16

Pray:

Father, please comfort the hurting families. Give them peace that only comes from You. Help us all to heal from the evil that Satan tried to do. Give us abundant love to teach our own children and grandchildren that evil is only for a short time, but the love of God is for eternity. Replace the negative images with the picture of you welcoming the children into your presence. Amen