You SHALL Go to Them!

It has been my privilege to work at some of the greatest churches in America and to have worked alongside some of the greatest Christian people you could ever meet.  However, when you are in the ministry, you will witness things that forever change your outlook on life.  My wife, Angela and I have been in full time Christian service our entire married life.  Boy do we have some stories!

When Angela told me that she was doing a series on her blog about miscarriages, my interest was peaked.  We have been through this twice.  To be honest, the first one we went through was early in our marriage and I was too young an ignorant to try and comfort my wife through this.  However, I remember her state.  On the second miscarriage, I was able to comfort her with the only words I knew, something that was drilled in me for three and a half years at college.  “God has allowed us to go through this, so that one day you will be able to encourage other couples who go through similar circumstances.”  And as it turns out, it seems that this past week has done just that!

So in this particular post (my first ever blog post) I wanted to encourage the ladies that read my wife’s blog to the FACT that if you have ever lost a child, if you are a follower of Jesus Christ, ONE DAY you will see the child that you never were able to cuddle.  ONE DAY the children that God has allowed you to rear and raise in the admonition of the Lord will talk with and know the brothers and sisters they never knew here on earth.  As the song writer wrote, “THAT WILL BE A GLAD REUNION DAY.”

During our time in North Atlanta, I had the privilege of being the Senior Pastor at the Berean Baptist Church in Cumming, Georgia.  While pastoring there, a young couple in our church gave birth to a beautiful baby girl.  There is always excitement in the air at the birth of a new born baby.  Just a few weeks into this precious baby’s life, tragedy stuck the home.  The baby died in her crib from SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome).  I was about to be faced with one of the most difficult moments in ministry, preaching the funeral of a new born baby.  I met with the other two pastors and the founding pastor of the church I was at.  I sought their counsel.  What can I say?  How can I encourage their grieving souls?  The one of the other pastors directed me to a story in the Bible I knew so well, yet the phrase I had over looked so many times as it was not pertinent to me.

In 2 Samuel, we find the story of David’s sin with Uriah’s wife, Bathsheba.  There is no way around it, this was not a pretty story.  I don’t want to dwell on David’s sin, but rather on how God took David’s sin, and turned it to a beautiful picture of the Grace of God.  This is not meant to make light of David’s sin.  David was told by Nathan the prophet that he had taken something that was not his.  Because of this sin, the child that would be born, would die.  Oh, how David grieved!  This account is found in 2 Samuel chapter 12.  We read that when Nathan left, God struck the child sick.  David went into a state of deep depression because of his sin.  He knew that his sin not only affected him, but it affected his child.  For seven days David grieved and mourned….UNTIL…the child died.  David no longer grieved once his child was dead.  This confused those around him.  He had changed his clothes, his attitude, and began to eat again.  This is what the Bible says his servants asked…

Then said his servants unto him, What thing is this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, while it was alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread.  2 Samuel 12:21

It made no sense to his servants that David should mourn no more now that the child had actually died.  But then, David gives a response that only a “Man after God’s own heart” could give…

And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether GOD will be gracious to me, that the child may live? But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.  2 Samuel 12:22-23

I love that last phrase…”I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.”  Even though David had seriously messed up, he was still close enough to God to know that he would one day see his son again.  Later in that same chapter we read about David consoling Bathsheba and the conception and birth of Solomon.  Solomon would be the one to would later take David’s throne.  Only God could take something that would seem so bad, and paint a beautiful picture of Grace.  You see, David knew how to comfort himself and those around him in the LOVE and GRACE of God.

I believe that to David and Bathsheba, this child who was born and died so early, was just as important as their great and mighty son, Solomon.  And I believe with all my heart that David, Bathsheba, Solomon, and this Child all know each other in Heaven this very day.  Why?  Because, God took that little baby to Heaven! 

You may be asking yourself, “but Pastor Jeremy, this child was already born and died.  The child you mentioned in North Atlanta, Georgia was born and died.  What about the unborn babies who are miscarried?”  My dear reader, our Great God knows that baby by name as well.  David under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit wrote…

                                I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother's belly.

 Psalms 22:10

Paul in the New Testament also wrote…

But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace… Galatians 1:15

I comforted those dear sweet people in North Atlanta, Georgia with these precious words from Scripture.  We believe that life begins the moment a child in conceived.  God knows each and every child that has ever been conceived.  And the beautiful thing is, every child that has died in the womb, every child that has been still born, every child that has been forced to die from the wicked sin of abortion, ALL these are in Heaven!  And CHRISTIAN, don’t be discouraged, YOU SHALL GO TO THEM!

This comfort however, cannot be given to the person who is not a believer and follower of Jesus Christ.  If you are reading this blog post, and maybe you have had a miscarriage and want the hope of one day seeing your child.  This hope comes only with knowing Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour.  David knew he would live with the Lord in Heaven one day.   And so do I! I am confident that Angela, Lexxus, Meghan, Wesley, Jennabeth and myself will one day see the two children we never were able to see here on earth.  If you don’t have that certainty, please contact my wife via this blog and she can share with you more about knowing Jesus. 

I am thankful for the comfort in knowing that…I SHALL GO TO THEM!  And Christian, if you have gone through this terrible time of losing an unborn child…YOU SHALL GO TO THEM!!  Take comfort!  Be encouraged!  And maybe, God will allow you to encourage someone else.  God Bless!

 To read more of this series on "God's Grace Through Miscarriage", please click here!

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