I observed a horrific tragedy in the news this week. A young mother of 4 hanged her children and herself in desparation. All but the youngest (8 months) perished. The mother was 23, her oldest child was 6. She was apparently distraught when her commonlaw husband left her. I do not know this woman beyond what the media has told, and my heart breaks over the murder of her innocent little girls. If my math adds up she was a mother at 17 years old. The sad thing is that this example is becoming increasingly more common.
What I find even more tragic is I wonder where the church is in the midst of lives that are so desparate that they feel that killing themselves and their own children is the only way out. Jesus Christ has called us to be salt and light... he has called me to be salt and light. We are to live our lives in such a way that we draw people to Jesus. Jesus said we are either gathering or scattering. I often get caught up with others in complaining about how our society has gone to pot, but I wonder if we as the church were truly being salt and light where we live and work how much of this would be going on. Now please don't misunderstand me, I understand that this world is not our home, that we are sojourners here, and that this is a fallen world. However, that does not negate the fact that we are to season and illumine our world. But instead, the world influences us.
I know that sometimes this responsibility can be overwhelming, what can I do? I am one person. True, but each one of us can make a difference in the lives of a few.
Consider the lyrics of this song, Love Them Like Jesus by Mark Hall:
We are to love them like Jesus.
What I find even more tragic is I wonder where the church is in the midst of lives that are so desparate that they feel that killing themselves and their own children is the only way out. Jesus Christ has called us to be salt and light... he has called me to be salt and light. We are to live our lives in such a way that we draw people to Jesus. Jesus said we are either gathering or scattering. I often get caught up with others in complaining about how our society has gone to pot, but I wonder if we as the church were truly being salt and light where we live and work how much of this would be going on. Now please don't misunderstand me, I understand that this world is not our home, that we are sojourners here, and that this is a fallen world. However, that does not negate the fact that we are to season and illumine our world. But instead, the world influences us.
I know that sometimes this responsibility can be overwhelming, what can I do? I am one person. True, but each one of us can make a difference in the lives of a few.
Consider the lyrics of this song, Love Them Like Jesus by Mark Hall:
The love of her life is drifting away
Their losing the fight for another day
The life that she's known is falling apart
A fatherless home, a child's broken heart
You're holding her hand, your straining for words
You trying to make - sense of it all
She's desperate for hope, darkness clouding her view
She's looking to you
Chorus
Just love her like Jesus, carry her to Him
His yoke is easy, His burden is light
You don't need the answers to all of life's questions
Just know that He loves her and stay by her side
Love her like Jesus, Love her like Jesus
The gifts lie in wait, in a room painted blue
Little blessing from heaven be there soon
Hope fades in the night, blue skies turn to gray
As a little one slips away
You're holding their hand, your straining for words
You trying to make - sense of it all
Their desperate for hope, darkness clouding their view
Their looking to you
Chorus
Lord of all creation holds our lives in His hands
The God of all the nations holds our lives in His hands
The rock of our salvation holds our lives in His hands
He cares for them just as He cares for you
Chorus
We are to love them like Jesus.
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