I am actually writing this "last night" before bed because there will be no time in the morning. Tomorrow morning I'll be volunteering early to counsel students whose friends lost a brother today.
This afternoon, one of our precious senior boys from my church's youth group was killed in a car accident, on his way to his part-time job.
This is every parent's nightmare. Every time one of our beloved leaves home in a car, we pray, and pray and pray.
My thanks go out to my friend, Leah, who posted this verse on Facebook. I offer it to you because it brings me such comfort.
The Psalmist says, in Psalms 56:8 - - - {New Living Translation}
You keep track of all my sorrows.[a]
You have collected all my tears in your bottle.
You have recorded each one in your book.
You have collected all my tears in your bottle.
You have recorded each one in your book.
Isn't that beautiful? Isn't God kind and loving, and merciful and wise? Oh yes!
It is so hard not to question Him in these sorrowful moments, when the unthinkable has happened. It is so hard to stare hard through our grief, through our tears, to find Him. It is so hard to acknowledge that He IS good, all the time.
Let me tell you about this fine, young man. He loved Jesus, and he didn't care who knew it. I had the privilege of going with our youth on a mission trip to Nashville about 4 years ago, and he was one of the younger kids on the trip. (Our group was helping support an inner-city, fledgling church there.) It was such a privilege to get to know him better and see him on fire for the Lord. He added so MUCH to our church family, and I will miss his upbeat personality, his fervor, his testimony.
If you are reading this, please take a moment to pray for his family and friends, those who knew and loved him. He is in the presence of Jesus, where the fullness of love and joy abide, forever. But, those of us still here....we need to feel our Savior's comfort and peace in the days ahead.
Let me ask you - - - if today had been YOUR day to leave this life - - - are you ready? Would your loved ones have the peace of knowing that you would be in Heaven? Don't think that you have one more day or even one more moment to decide. None of us is promised that. In John 14:1-6, Jesus plainly stated that He is the only way to Heaven. Don't put off your decision to accept Him as Savior today, this moment! You may not have another.
Oh my Father, my heart is heavy. I lift up to You the family of my young friend tonight. Oh, please, Lord, send them the comfort and peace that only You can give. Thank you for seeing and keeping record of each tear that Your loved ones shed, in sorrow or in joy. Nothing escapes Your notice. Nothing takes You by surprise. Thank you for loving us with Your everlasting love! In Jesus' name, amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment