Young Death

For me death is not the scariest thing in the world, though it still ranks high on my list. People die daily, some of my friends could personally verify that, and not every death grips me emotionally, in fact most do not. The people closest to me naturally have the greatest emotional impact on me, in life and death, but the death I have the hardest time handling is young death. I was reminded of this when last week a little four year old girl, Grace Chen, died in a hospital hours after being found in the classroom of a burning day care center. Her family attends the same church I do, and though I was not close to the family, I know her face and remember seeing her. I have taught 1st through 3rd grade sunday school at church several times and thought, I would have had the opportunity to teach her in a couple of years, but it was not to be.

I thought about how much more I would have been affected if it was one of the kids in my sunday school class who one day no longer showed up. We teach these younger children about the way Christ lived His life on earth as an example for them to grow up in. We teach them about His sacrifice so that we may live eternally with God some day. We teach them so that they may know and grow to teach others. She was so young, I wonder how much a four year old knows about the gift of salvation and the meanings of sacrifice and love . . .

I prayed to God and asked Jesus to come into my heart and be with me when I was four years old . . . but what exactly did I understand? I was told that Jesus, God’s Son, came to earth and lived as a human, and died to save me. I was told that because of Jesus’ sacrifice, we were given the opportunity to be with God forever if we believed. I simply believed and wanted to accept the gift. Remembering my past encouraged me. I still wonder what the grand purpose of young death is. Perhaps for the sake of their friends and families, leading them closer to the knowledge and truth of the saving grace of Jesus Christ. Apparently it has led me to this place just now.

I will admit I have shed a tear picturing the happy face of a little girl, who no longer is manifested in the physical. The temporal joy and happiness that a young child brings is tremendous, but I remember that the joy and happiness that Christ has brought is eternal, and therefore that much greater.

Thank You Lord for Your love and mercy, bring us closer to You through trying times, and may we glorify You in our reactions. Please comfort the Chen family and remind them of the grace You have poured out on them, including Grace Chen. Amen