The Children Of God
🖼️ Artwork by Dran
Now and then I like looking at artwork that forces you to think or seems controversial. The image below hits home as a parent. Many of us do not have the ability to shelter our children and with every evil imaginable that comes across the news, you send the child out into the world anyways.
Knowing sooner or later they will be exposed to reality and the bliss of childhood will fade away. It could be the first time a girl is bullied for her smile. Or a boy who doesn't speak as clearly as the other boys.
The culture, environment, and the world become a testing ground that every parent has to allow their children to be tested.
In the car manufacturing industry, a test dummy is used to gather data to make automobiles safer.
The test dummy being an object has no clue what's in store for them as they enter the car.
A child has no clue what's in store for them as they enter the world.
As parents, we do our best to prepare them while walking a fine line in trying to preserve the innocence of childhood from the horrors of the world.
God wanted to remind us a few things about our children.
Matthew 18:10
English Standard Version
10 “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.
Sometimes this verse is used to defend guardian angels but without taking a definitive approach to that topic without full context of how God uses His angels. We understand from this passage that God uses some of His angels to look over the little ones. I personally do not see the assignment of one particular angel but like spiritual warfare, a host of angels act on the will of God who has such love for our children.
They may step into the world of the unknown but we can have faith and comfort knowing God is working in the chaos to bring what is good and orderly.
Some may ask where was God to protect my child, to heal my child, or to prevent my child from dying. Of course, being confined to space and time we could never comprehend how many times God has intervened to protect humans from evil. But the question still stands why do some live and some die?
This question is difficult because it falls into the realm of God's will, the current state of spiritual warfare between good and evil, the fallen nature of the world (decay and sickness), and then sin due to free will.
Sure God is all-powerful to completely fix these problems but to fix free will it would be within the absence of love. A slave or robot is not a loving alternative. To fix sin, God sent His one and only Son to die on the cross. Why do sickness, decay, and evil still exist then? Because God is looking at the eternal. There are still people every day coming to Christ for salvation. A child may die in this age before the great tribulation but a child is not at fault for sin as they can not comprehend the scope of sin. They go to be directly with God for eternity.
For us left on Earth long enough, we eventually must decide where we want to spend eternity. Eternally with God or eternally separated from God.
God has set in motion through the resurrection of the Son an end to sin, death, and evil. God is patient in fulfilling this promise so that from each generation a remnant will come to faith in Him. One day, the world will become like the days of Noah where there will be no hope for the wicked. Like Noah's ark, God will save the last remnant from destruction.
As believers, we must take comfort in God's ultimate eternal plan. We can take comfort in the here and know God has a history of miracles, interventions, and ways of bringing good amid evil or sorrow. He comforts those who are crushed by sorrow. He is close to the brokenhearted. He loves our children and He loves you.
Our children are ultimately His children just as we are His children. God is the giver of life and just as Abraham had to learn with his child, we must never forget where we stand when it comes as parents. We can easily idolize our children as in they become more loved than God and if not balanced human nature without God begins to parent in the ways of the world. The greatest love for a child is that of one who loves them both physically and spiritually. God has ordained that task to the parents. Do not forsake your purpose for being a parent however long that must take.
Rest in Him and know that our children may face a world of the unknown but take heart God has overcome the world even if as finite beings currently restrained within space, time, and matter, we do not see the end results of what God has promised. We can be assured in what He has done as it gives us comfort in knowing He will fulfill what He has promised.
🖼️ Artwork by Dran
Now and then I like looking at artwork that forces you to think or seems controversial. The image below hits home as a parent. Many of us do not have the ability to shelter our children and with every evil imaginable that comes across the news, you send the child out into the world anyways.
Knowing sooner or later they will be exposed to reality and the bliss of childhood will fade away. It could be the first time a girl is bullied for her smile. Or a boy who doesn't speak as clearly as the other boys.
The culture, environment, and the world become a testing ground that every parent has to allow their children to be tested.
In the car manufacturing industry, a test dummy is used to gather data to make automobiles safer.
The test dummy being an object has no clue what's in store for them as they enter the car.
A child has no clue what's in store for them as they enter the world.
As parents, we do our best to prepare them while walking a fine line in trying to preserve the innocence of childhood from the horrors of the world.
God wanted to remind us a few things about our children.
Matthew 18:10
English Standard Version
10 “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.
Sometimes this verse is used to defend guardian angels but without taking a definitive approach to that topic without full context of how God uses His angels. We understand from this passage that God uses some of His angels to look over the little ones. I personally do not see the assignment of one particular angel but like spiritual warfare, a host of angels act on the will of God who has such love for our children.
They may step into the world of the unknown but we can have faith and comfort knowing God is working in the chaos to bring what is good and orderly.
Some may ask where was God to protect my child, to heal my child, or to prevent my child from dying. Of course, being confined to space and time we could never comprehend how many times God has intervened to protect humans from evil. But the question still stands why do some live and some die?
This question is difficult because it falls into the realm of God's will, the current state of spiritual warfare between good and evil, the fallen nature of the world (decay and sickness), and then sin due to free will.
Sure God is all-powerful to completely fix these problems but to fix free will it would be within the absence of love. A slave or robot is not a loving alternative. To fix sin, God sent His one and only Son to die on the cross. Why do sickness, decay, and evil still exist then? Because God is looking at the eternal. There are still people every day coming to Christ for salvation. A child may die in this age before the great tribulation but a child is not at fault for sin as they can not comprehend the scope of sin. They go to be directly with God for eternity.
For us left on Earth long enough, we eventually must decide where we want to spend eternity. Eternally with God or eternally separated from God.
God has set in motion through the resurrection of the Son an end to sin, death, and evil. God is patient in fulfilling this promise so that from each generation a remnant will come to faith in Him. One day, the world will become like the days of Noah where there will be no hope for the wicked. Like Noah's ark, God will save the last remnant from destruction.
As believers, we must take comfort in God's ultimate eternal plan. We can take comfort in the here and know God has a history of miracles, interventions, and ways of bringing good amid evil or sorrow. He comforts those who are crushed by sorrow. He is close to the brokenhearted. He loves our children and He loves you.
Our children are ultimately His children just as we are His children. God is the giver of life and just as Abraham had to learn with his child, we must never forget where we stand when it comes as parents. We can easily idolize our children as in they become more loved than God and if not balanced human nature without God begins to parent in the ways of the world. The greatest love for a child is that of one who loves them both physically and spiritually. God has ordained that task to the parents. Do not forsake your purpose for being a parent however long that must take.
Rest in Him and know that our children may face a world of the unknown but take heart God has overcome the world even if as finite beings currently restrained within space, time, and matter, we do not see the end results of what God has promised. We can be assured in what He has done as it gives us comfort in knowing He will fulfill what He has promised.
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