SermonStudio

There is a story in the Old Testament book of 2 Samuel which I want to share with you. When King David and his wife Bathsheba had their first child it became apparent the boy would not live very long. For seven days the child lay near death.
During this time King David was in a period of mourning and fasting. He lay all night upon the ground asking God that the child might live.
Finally, on the seventh day the child died. The servants of King David were afraid to go in and tell the king what had happened. They were afraid he would do some harm to himself. But, when the king saw his servants whispering to each other he knew the child had died. He asked them if it were so and they answered yes.
King David got up, washed, anointed himself, changed his clothes. Then he went to the house of the Lord and worshiped him. He then went home and asked for food.
The servants wanted to know why this sudden change. He answered, ''While the child was still alive I fasted and wept, for I said, 'Who knows whether the Lord will be gracious?' But, now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I bring him back? I shall go to him; but, he shall not return to me.''
I think if we were to put his words into modern language we would hear him saying to us, ''I have had my heart broken

by this. But now that it is over there is nothing else I can do, and life goes on.''
I know this has been a tragic ordeal for all of you. You have come through the most difficult experience you could ever have. But, we must remember this great truth we see in this story of David and Bathsheba - the truth that we weep in the midst of our sorrow, but then we recognize the fact that life goes on and we must go on living.
The secret to living is not what our experiences do to us, but what we do with them.
This experience which you are having will have one of two results for you. If you let it this will break you. If you choose you may take it, and let it make you.
James W. Moore, a United Methodist minister in Texas, wrote a book a few years ago called, You Can Get Bitter Or Better. That is always the choice.
You can take this experience and use it, and let it mold your life, make your life better than it would have ever been had you not passed this way.
I know this experience is a time of loss for you. But in the midst of this loss of a child, I also want to remind you that all is not lost.
For one thing life's enduring values are not lost. Paul wrote that, ''Faith, hope, and love abide.'' Those things cannot be destroyed. They are the things which last.
Christian faith will hold you up when nothing else will. It will see you through. Christian hope will make you strong. It will sustain you. Christian love, your love for each other and God's love for you will comfort you. These three things abide. They will last forever.
Then second, the comfort you find in God's mercy is not lost. God will hold you up. He will be near you. He will never forsake you, not even in ''the valley of the shadow of death.''
Third, the care and concern of your family has not been lost. They are with you. We all share this with you. You can lean on these people here who care for you.

Finally, the life of this child has not been lost. The finest part of ____________ lives on. Jesus said, ''In my Father's house there are many rooms.'' There is a room there for all of us and especially for those of whom Jesus said, ''Let the children come unto me, and forbid them not, for to such belongs the kingdom of Heaven.''
There is a place there for ____________.
When Dr. Charles Allen's wife died, one of his church members said to him, ''I'm sorry you lost your wife.'' He replied, ''I haven't lost her. I know where she is.''
We can say that today. We know where ____________ is now.
A wise old retired preacher told me once that he had a funeral for a child who died at the age of six. It was obviously a heart--breaking time for that family. They said, ''We hope when we see her again she will not have changed any, and will still be just like she is now.'' He thought a minute and said, ''Oh, you know you don't mean that. You would not want her to always be like she is now. The next time you see her she will be the person God designed her to become. She will be perfect in every way - in love, in knowledge, in hope.''
And, I say to you, the next time you see ____________ she will be perfect in every way.