“And a sword will pierce your own soul too” (Luke 2:35). This was not your typical baby dedication when Mary and Joseph presented their infant son, Jesus, in the temple that day. What exactly did Simeon mean? Did Mary recall those words years later as she witnessed her son suffer and die on the cross? She understood then. Yes, those words pretty much described her pain, if that’s even possible for human language to do.
Many mothers lost sons and daughters in the Las Vegas massacre. Many mothers lost a child in their womb today. There’s that pain again—that twisting, piercing agony deep within. We live in a torn and hurting world, and there is so much we don’t understand.
Let’s be certain of a few things that are perfectly spelled out in Scripture for us. We know that every soul God creates is equally loved and important to Him regardless of how long they live on this earth, inside or outside of the womb, or their quality of life (Acts 10:34). Human standards and judgments are flawed. We look at a healthy and long life on earth as being the most blessed and superior—not necessarily so in God’s eyes (Matthew 11:11, 18:1-4, 25:40). What God thinks and what His Word says carries far more weight than our skewed thinking. His judgments and actions are always right and true (Daniel 9:14 and 2 Thess. 1:5) whether we understand it fully or not. He’s God.
Perhaps God held our child before we had a chance. Maybe we held our child one hour before they went back to heaven, or a few short years, or seventy years. The time we have with our child is never long enough. However, even the longest life here on earth is microscopic compared to an eternal heaven. If our child is in heaven and we go to heaven one day, then 2 Samuel 12:23, 1 John 3:2, and 1 Cor. 13:12 are true for us. Take time now to look up these Scriptures, read, meditate, and allow His Words to reach your deepest within.
The Bible tells me I will find protection and healing under His wings (Mal. 4:2 and Matt. 23:37), so I run to Him. He is the peace in the middle of my storm (Mark 4:39). He is my safe place. Make Jesus Christ your safe place today and forever (John 3:16 and 1 John 3:1).