Jewels for God's Crown

My father has always loved children, been such a great parent, grand-father, and great-grandfather.  One of his favorite songs is "When He Cometh."  This old hymn talks about how God loves children, how they are precious to Him, and how they are His own.  

When He Cometh

 

 When He cometh, when He cometh
To make up His jewels,
All His jewels, precious jewels,
His loved and His own.

Refrain

Like the stars of the morning,
His brightness adorning,
They shall shine in their beauty,
Bright gems for His crown.

He will gather, He will gather
The gems for His kingdom;
All the pure ones, all the bright ones,
His loved and His own.

Refrain

Little children, little children,
Who love their Redeemer,
Are the jewels, precious jewels,
His loved and His own.

I love this rendition of the song When He Cometh.  My dad will too.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rn3EwsRJosM&feature=player_detailpage 

When one of the tragedies such as happened today occurs anywhere around the world, I experience such grief, but in this situation, as far as the children who lost their lives today are concerned, there is a great comfort that does not always exist.  Before God they were all completely innocent, pure, and without sin.  Their relationship with Him was firm and sure, there is no doubt where they are this moment.  They are in the presence of the One Who Loves Them most.  While grief is overcoming our nation today, we should all understand that when that shooter went into the elementary school in Connecticut today, God who endowed each person with a free will, knew of  his intent.  He was ready, His provision was in place, His love for each of those little ones never greater than in their last moments on this earth.  As much as each of their parents and family loves those precious children who were murdered by this mad man today, their Heavenly Father loves them and cares for them even more.  His help and hand were ready and poised, they did not step out into eternity alone.  He called thousands of angels to surround each child who would not come out of their school alive today.  There may have been brief moments of terror as the horror that took their lives encountered them, but as their lives in this world ended, their forever lives began, safe in the arms of their God, whose character is described as "God is love."  The wonder of heaven, the love of God poured out over them, and all tears, all pain, and all suffering forever ended for them with the bullets from a gun wielded by a man who entered into his own reward.  He will reside forever where there will be nothing but weeping and gnashing of teeth, pain, darkness, loneliness, and love will never be known by any of its' residents.  

With joy and rejoicing the hosts of heaven welcomed these innocent beautiful children to their forever home today.  No Christmas celebration anywhere will compare to the one they will experience.  In the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave His life for them  because of His love, they will know the full meaning of His love, mercy, and grace directly from their Heavenly Father.  That is something that those of us left behind cannot begin to fathom yet.  I hope that those whose hearts feel ripped from their beings will look to the Lord for His comfort and help.  I cannot imagine how they will be able to deal with this separation, other than to know that it can be just a brief separation, because the love of God has made provision for each of us.  He desires a forever relationship with each of us. 

This is one of the most beautiful renditions of this promise to each of those parents and loved ones left behind in the form of a hymn written in 1977 by .  The name of the song is, "If We Never Meet Again This Side of Heaven."  I know God's comfort, mercy, grace, and love will be poured out on the grieving, may they reach out to the Master to be held until they can stand once again.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYHG8piu9H4

Soon we'll come to the end of life's journey
And perhaps we'll never meet anymore
'Til we gather in heaven's bright city
Far away on that beautiful shore Chorus 1:
If we never meet again this side of heaven (never meet this side of heaven)
As we struggle through this world and its strife (struggle through world and its strife)
There's another meeting place somewhere in heaven (meeting place somewhere in heaven)
By the side of the river of life (by the shining river of life)
Where the charming roses bloom forever (roses bloom ever and ever)
And where separations come no more (separations come never more)
If we never meet again this side of heaven (never meet this side of heaven)
I will meet you on that beautiful shore (meet you on that beautiful shore)
Oh, they say we shall meet by the river
Where no storm clouds ever darken the sky
And they say we'll be happy in heaven
In the wonderful sweet by and by
Repeat Chorus 1
Chorus 2:
If we never meet again this side of heaven
As we struggle through this world and its strife
There's another meeting place somewhere in heaven
By the side of the river of life
Where the charming roses bloom forever (roses bloom ever and ever)
And where separations come no more (separations come never more)
If we never meet again this side of heaven
I will meet you on that beautiful shore