On our way to church last night we were a couple of miles from the church when we ran into several policemen, firetrucks, ambulances, and a lot of people. When we got to the church we found out they were looking for two teenage boys. Sadly, they did find the boys, drowned in a pond during some Sunday afternoon fishing.
By their own testimony and the accounts of their Youth Pastor, both boys had accepted Christ and met their Savior yesterday afternoon.
All of the details are not sorted, but they know their boat flipped over. One boy was found by the boat. The other near the bank. The water in this pond has dried up considerably, however all the rain we've had recently stirred up mud and everything else in the pond, making it nearly impossible to find one boy. The boys were cousins and neither of them could swim.
Today for our family devotions I wanted to do something about giving thanks. I'd like to do that between now and Thanksgiving. So my verses today were from I Thessalonians 5: 16-18, "Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."
I have grieved for the families of these two boys all day long. So thankful that when I got up out of bed this morning I was able to kiss my son goodbye and tell him I love him before he left for school. Thankful that my other two children were in the house, sitting at the table, doing their schoolwork. I want to find the mothers of these two boys and just hold them and cry with them. The pain and suffering I know they must be feeling right now.
As I read over these verses I realized that even though these families are walking through the darkest and loneliest valley they have been in, they have a reason to rejoice evermore. By their son's testimonies, they are with the Lord today in Heaven. Even in times like these, there is a reason to rejoice.
I am sure that during this time, they are praying and leaning on their Heavenly Father to get them through this time.
I am also sure that they will find a reason to give thanks. We can not see into the future. God may use the deaths of these two young men for His glory to bring others to know Him also. Maybe there was something God was sparing them from in the future. We'll never know what His reasons were for taking these young men, but we can give thanks that He is God and He is in control of all things and this was His will for their lives.
There is always something to rejoice in. There is always something to pray for. There is always something to give thanks for.
Pray for these families, that God will move in their lives and that He will show Himself clearly to them in these dark hours.
God is good...all the time...even in times like these.
