Day Nine

Day Nine

Matthew 2:16-18 Then Herod when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, for two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying: “A voice was heard in Ramah, Lamentation, weeping, and great mourning, Rachael weeping for her children, Refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”

Someone who does not have a clear perspective or understanding of God could easily read this passage and get mad at God for allowing the killing of these children. After all would a God of love allow someone to kill so many in order to protect His own Son; to the world this makes absolutely no sense. Truthfully to most believers it makes no sense either, no more than any others who have had loved ones murdered or suffered a wrongful death. However in order to completely understand these things we must adopt a heavenly perspective, we must not look at tomorrow as a goal to achieve we must be thinking more eternally. We must purpose to live each day, each moment as just another day in eternity, after all none of us will die, we will simply change locations. You see once we accept Christ and are born again or if we are under the age of accountability our lives are eternally with Him. Therefore if one passes from this life our hope and belief is in the fact that we will see them again and in the grand scheme of time we will see them very soon. If we live for an eternity and the average lifespan is 76 or so years where do those years fit in the line of time, are they a dot, a speck, or even a microbe in time? The enemy loves to distort our thoughts and cause us to be angry with God by placing so much emphasis upon our earthly time, after all that was his intent with Adam and Eve. You see the only way Satan can turn people from the Lord is to get or keep them in an earthly mindset in regards to time and eternity. When my wife was diagnosed with terminal cancer and went to be with the Lord, my biggest fear became this; that my children would be mad at God. I am very happy to say that since their mother’s passing this has not been the case except on short occasions, (something we should all expect). However maintaining an eternal mindset has helped keep them focused on the big picture, the reality of the frailty of life on earth. Praise God that they understand His sovereignty and are willing to accept the path He has chosen for them and their loved ones. Others may would say, “If this is all there is why not live it up, after all you only have one life”. While I believe that we have three phases to our lives, our pre-Christ days, our earthly days in Christ, and our resurrected life, all different, yet all connected and all eternal. I don't want to sound calloused and hard toward those who hurt at the separation of a loved one for I too have suffered that pain the recent occasion of the passing of my wife of thirty-one years. The question however remains the same “Is He your Sovereign God do you trust that He is in control and knows what is best in all things?” I pray that you do, or soon will be able to.

Daily Prayer: Father I pray for those who have blamed You for the loss of loved ones, may we all learn to be daily grateful for the escape You have provided for all who choose to believe.

"Satan lays the traps; God provides the escape, which do you blame?"

Gene Burroughs Servant