Psalm 23:1 A Psalm of David.
The LORD [is] my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still
waters. 3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear
no evil: for thou [art] with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 5
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou
anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy
shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of
the LORD for ever. {for ever: Heb. to length of days}
Prayer by the pastor
How Does God Feel
about the Children?
Mark 10:13 (NIV) People were
bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples
rebuked them. 14 When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them,
"Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the
kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 I tell you the truth, anyone who
will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter
it." 16 And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and
blessed them.
God loves the little children and so do we.
God tells us that we must become as dependent on Him as the children
are dependent on us. The children need the parents to give them the care they need
to survive. The children may not
realize all that the parents do, but they benefit from all that is done on
their behalf. The children have
life because of the parents and through the parental love and care they
continue to live. So do we have
life through our heavenly Father and we continue to live through times like
these by the help and strength that He gives.
How should we respond to the death of a child?
II Sam. 12:16-23
16David begged God to spare the child. He went without
food and lay all night on the bare ground. 17The leaders of the
nation pleaded with him to get up and eat with them, but he refused. 18Then
on the seventh day the baby died. David’s advisers were afraid to tell
him. “He was so broken up about the baby being sick,” they said. “What
will he do to himself when we tell him the child is dead?”
19But
when David saw them whispering, he realized what had happened. “Is the
baby dead?” he asked.
“Yes,” they replied. 20 Then David got up from the
ground, washed himself, put on lotions, and changed his clothes. Then he
went to the Tabernacle and worshiped the Lord.
After that, he returned to the palace and ate. 21His advisers
were amazed. “We don’t understand you,” they told him. “While the
baby was still living, you wept and refused to eat. But now that the baby is
dead, you have stopped your mourning and are eating again.”
22 David
replied, “I fasted and wept while the child was alive, for I said,
‘Perhaps the Lord will be
gracious to me and let the child live.’ 23But why should I fast
when he is dead? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him one day, but
he cannot return to me.”
- Go
on with our lives as God desires
- Go
to worship and serve the Lord. He
is still in control.
- Go
back to our homes and eat. Take
of ourselves physically and spiritually.
- Go
to the Lord’s promises and claim them as your very own.
- We
can go to him one day if we have the Lord as our heavenly Father.
Remember that God knows how we feel, because His Son
has died.
He has died for you.
He has risen from the dead.