Death and Children - Help and comfort in todays storm

I write this with all kinds of thoughts running through my mind.  The events on this day in a Elementary school remind us of the horrors capable without Jesus.   We are reminded and experience  the pain and agony those horrors bring to the innocent, families, and a nation.

But what about the eternal destiny of the children killed?  Is there clarity of their eternal destination?

Jesus instructed his disciples that they should "...Let the children to come to Me; do not forbid them; for such is the Kingdom of heaven.”  What more clear a message is there to reveal the heart of God toward children?  His longing for mankind is seen in His Words.  Paul further states in 2 Corinthians 5: 10 "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad."(NKJ)  Children are born with a sin nature and at some point in their life will reach a point of maturity where they realize that they need Jesus.  Until that point is reached, Gods grace covers their lives and there is certainty that should death occur, God brings them into His arms through His amazing Grace!  This we know - God is faithful.  He has been and always will be!  He was faithful today!  And for this, we must give thanksgiving.

The children today whose lives were taken were immediately gathered by the arms of God.  They are now in His presence and they are safe.  We left on this earth groan as we must deal with the evil and grief displayed.  We left must live with the horror and find the comfort and peace that can only come from the one true God who is faithful and true.  We must remember that life apart from one's personal acceptance of Jesus Christ is a life controlled by Satan himself - the evil one.  And this we left on earth today must face.

God sent Jesus for each one of us!  Jesus lived a perfect and sinless life.  He was brutally killed on a cross for our sins!  He stood in our place.  Jesus is God's gift to us!  A gift that we are given a choice of accepting or rejecting.  Paul said for "all have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God!"  "There is none righteous, no not one."  I can assure you who read this that religion, politics, thought and theory will not get one person into heaven and will not change or control one life from evil!  Only through the person Jesus is this possible!

You have heard these words and you have seen them displayed many times.  But today I pray we will take them heart:

John 3:16

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
(NKJ)

Each must come to the place of accepting or rejecting.  What have you done?  What decision have you made?

Today we ask many questions.  But we see through a glass that is darkened by the sin and the limits sin brings.  God knows.  The children today received a great reward!  Our pain will only begin to recede when we trust God and seek His perspective.  

Today we see more clearly than ever before in the history of America the failures of our secular society!  We who know Jesus see why we are salt and light, placed here on a mission.  And we see our need to repent from our failure to share Jesus!  Today in all of its horror is not the end of this type of demonic activity.  We must ask, what are we doing to reach more people with the Gospel of Jesus Christ?

Politicians, counselors, laws and iron fences will not and cannot fix our ills.  Only Jesus can.  

So today and I give you Jesus!  He is all we have and He is more than enough!

"Peace I leave with you; My peace I give I to you; .... Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." - Jesus (John 14:27)

Should you find that you need to hear more, please contact me via email pastor@arlingtonknoxville.com   I would love to share with you the gift that brings hope, comfort, forgiveness, and peace in the midst of this ugly world!