You have had to give up your precious little one. Your arms are left empty, and your heart is left heavy. You feel as if you cannot go on with the daily round of life, so saddened is your heart. There are so many things to remind you of that little one who has gone on, and sometimes the memory comes with such force that it overwhelms you.
1 Why This Message Is Written
The writer of this booklet knows something of the deep grief and longing of your heart. We stood by the bedside of our only little one, a precious little curly-haired daughter, when the spirit took its flight from the body. We know what it is to look upon a little face for the last time and to follow a little casket to an open grave. It is because we do know the deep grief of such a time that we long to help you. We were comforted of God in our hour of grief, and it is our desire that you, too, may know His blessed comfort and peace. “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God” (2 Cor. 1:3-4).
1 Your Sorrow Is a Common One
As you go through this dark time, it may seem to you that no one else has ever suffered so deeply. Your sorrow is a very common one. It will perhaps amaze you to notice how many babies and little children are listed in the death columns of the daily newspapers. And it is striking to see how many little graves there are in any fair-sized cemetery. Yes, sorrow is a common thing, all over the world. The infallible Word of God tells us that “man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward” (Job 5:77Yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward. (Job 5:7)).
God alone can comfort an aching and sorrowing heart, as yours is in this hour. He is “the God of all comfort; who comforteth us in all our tribulation” (2 Cor. 1:3-4). He is “God, that comforteth those that are cast down” (2 Cor. 7:6). He has said: “I, even I, am He that comforteth you” (Isa. 51:1212I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass; (Isaiah 51:12)). To receive this comfort we should go to the blessed Word, the Bible. And that Word teaches us that
1 Your Little One Is in Heaven
and how wonderful it is up there. “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him” (1 Cor. 2:9). “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away” (Rev. 21:44And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. (Revelation 21:4)).
Your little one is there, “absent from the body, and . . . present with the Lord” (2 Cor. 5:8), and “to be with Christ . . . is far better” (Phil. 1:2323For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: (Philippians 1:23)). For “in Thy presence is fullness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures forevermore” (Psa. 16:1111Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. (Psalm 16:11)). These are the Bible facts about the joy and bliss of those who have gone on to be with the Lord, including our little ones.
As for the beauties of Heaven, how little our finite minds can grasp. We read: “And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. . . . And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and His servants shall serve Him. . . . And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign forever and ever” (Rev. 22:1,3,51And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. (Revelation 22:1)
3And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: (Revelation 22:3)
5And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever. (Revelation 22:5)).
But the most blessed thing about Heaven is the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ is there, the precious Son of God, who shed His blood for us and our little ones. And that leads us to consider
1 Why Your Little One Is in Heaven
Do you know why your little one is now safe in Heaven? It is because the Lord Jesus Christ, the blessed Son of God, died for your little one on the cross. Our first parents, Adam and Eve, sinned by disobeying God’s command not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the garden of Eden (Gen. 3). As the result of their sin, all their descendents, the whole human race, were plunged into sin and death and ruin. Romans 5:1212Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (Romans 5:12) tells us: “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” And Romans 5:1818Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. (Romans 5:18) tells us, “Therefore as by the offense of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation.” So every person since Adam has been born into a lost race.
But God loved men, though He hated our sin, and He proved His love by sending His only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to die in our place. He took upon Himself the judgment which we deserved. For “God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:88But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)). “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:9-109Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. 10Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. (John 4:9‑10)).
Christ died on the cross for the whole human race. “He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:22And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. (John 2:2)). “Therefore as by the offense of one [Adam] judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one [Christ] the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life” (Rom. 5:1818Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. (Romans 5:18)).
This is the reason your little one is now in Heaven. Christ died for your little one, even as He died for you and me, and your child had never become of age either to accept or reject the sacrifice which Christ made on the cross for him or her. Therefore the child was covered by that precious shed blood, which Christ, in His love and grace, poured out for all of us. That is why your child is now in Heaven, beholding the face of the Father. Your child is “absent from the body, and . . . present with the Lord.”
The following words from a little child’s tombstone illustrate this precious truth:
“BENEATH THIS STONE
AN INFANT’S BODY LIES;
SAY, IS IT SAVED OR LOST?
IF DEATH’S BY SIN, IT SINNED,
FOR IT LIES HERE!
IF HEAVEN’S BY WORKS,
IN HEAVEN IT CAN’T APPEAR.
OH, REASON HOW DEPRAVED!
REVERE THE SACRED PAGE —
THE KNOT’S UNTIED!
IT DIED, FOR ADAM SINNED —
IT LIVES, FOR JESUS DIED!”
So, dear grieving parent, it is an established fact of Scripture that when our little ones, who have not reached the age of accountability (Matt. 18:1-111At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? 2And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, 3And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. 4Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. 6But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. 7Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh! 8Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire. 9And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire. 10Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven. 11For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. (Matthew 18:1‑11)), die, they go straight to be with the Lord in Heaven. It makes no difference whether their parents are saved or lost, rich or poor, educated or uneducated, red, yellow, black or white. They are saved by the precious shed blood of the Son of God, and nothing else is needed.
1 to Christian Parents
If you are saved, dear parent, we would like to speak this word of comfort and encouragement to you. You had plans for the future of your little one. You looked forward to watching your child develop into young manhood or young womanhood. Now your plans are crushed. But God’s plans are better than ours. Your little one budded on earth to bloom in Heaven.
Do not question God’s wisdom or His love. How blessed to know “that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose” (Rom. 8:2828And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)). The next verse tells us what that purpose is. “For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren” (Rom. 8:2929For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. (Romans 8:29)). If you are saved, if you have received the Lord Jesus Christ as your own personal Saviour and have thus been washed from your sins in His own precious blood, then God wants you to be made more like His own dear Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, and He is working all things in your life to that end.
He has permitted this crushing sorrow to come into your life. He lets trouble come to us so that we may lean more heavily upon Him. Lean on Him in this hour, dear Christian, for He loves you with an everlasting love!
God wants you to live with your mind centered on things above. We read: “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth” (Col. 3:1212Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; (Colossians 3:12)). Now you will have a new interest in Heaven and things above, for your little one is up there. You can say, as did David when his little one was taken to Heaven: “I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me” (2 Sam. 12:23).
All things point to the fact that we are living in the end of the age. Soon the Lord Jesus is coming back to receive His saints. Then you shall see your little one again, and I shall see mine. Will you not take to your heart the precious comfort in these words which the Lord has given us? “I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent [precede] them which are asleep. For the Lord Himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we [believers] which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words” (1 Thess. 4:13-18).
Dear grieving Christian parent, this is something wonderful which we have to look forward to. Not only shall we see our little ones, but most blessed of all, we shall see our dear Saviour, who loved us and gave Himself for us. We shall then receive our resurrection bodies, and the dead in Christ, including our little ones, shall be raised in immortal bodies. Their spirits, now with the Lord, will once again inhabit those bodies which we have laid away, only then those bodies will be glorified and immortal, like the Lord’s own resurrection body. “We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed” (1 Cor. 15:51-52).
So, dear Christians, as we look forward to that blessed time, so soon coming, let us seek to live the rest of our time here for the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. His Word will show us how to do this. Let us look to it for leading. “Ye are not your own. For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Cor. 6:19-20).
They are not dead, those loved ones who have passed
Beyond our vision for a little while.
They have but reached the Light while we still grope
In darkness where we cannot see them smile.
They are not dead. Theirs is the fuller life,
Theirs is the victory, the joy, the gain;
For us is still the waiting and the strife,
For us the loneliness, for us the pain.
Then let us gird us once again with hope
And give them smile for smile the while we wait;
And loving, serving, when our Father calls,
We’ll go to find our loved ones wait us at the gate.
1 to Unsaved Parents
And now may we speak a word to those of you who are unsaved? For, beloved friend, you are a sinner before God, no matter how upright and moral you may be before men. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:2323For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23)). “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one” (Rom. 3:1010As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: (Romans 3:10)). These are the words of God, who knows the hearts of all men, and you will do well to face them, dear reader. If you have never received the Lord Jesus Christ, God’s Son, as your personal Saviour from sin, you stand condemned before a holy God, for “he that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him” (John 3:3636He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. (John 3:36)).
Unless you are saved, it will mean eternal separation from your little one who is now in Heaven. But far more than that, it will mean eternal separation from God. “Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” (Rev. 20:1515And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:15)). This is what we all deserve, every one of us. But Christ in His love and grace has paid the redemption price. Now you can be saved, simply by receiving the Lord Jesus Christ, who died to be your Substitute. No matter how low in sin and shame you have gone, Christ in love to you died on the cross to save you. Now resurrected and living in glory at the right hand of God, He says to you: “Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:2828Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)). He says: “Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely” (Rev. 22:1717And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. (Revelation 22:17)).
Perhaps God has taken your little one in order to speak to you about your need of being saved. A young couple lost their little four-year-old daughter, who was their idol. The mother’s heart grew bitter, and her health became so gravely impaired by the trouble that fear of her reason failing caused her to be sent into the country for rest and change. One morning when walking in the fields, she became interested in watching a shepherd with his flock. He wanted to get the sheep from one field to another. A stream flowed between the two fields, and the shepherd could not induce the sheep to cross the stream. They ran about in all directions. Presently, picking up a tiny lamb, the shepherd carried it across the stream and placed it in the other field. The mother sheep no longer hesitated, but bounded over to the other side, to be followed quickly by the whole flock.
“I had learned my lesson,” said the sorrowing mother, “and alone in that field with the blue sky above me, I knelt on the grass and cried: ‘O, Jesus, I thank Thee for this sight. I see now why you have taken my darling over the stream, so that I might follow.’ And there and then I came to the Saviour, who freely pardoned me. I returned home rejoicing in salvation.”
Will you not follow this example and receive the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour? He “was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification” (Rom. 4:2525Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. (Romans 4:25)). “He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made Him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of His Son. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life” (1 John 5:10-1210The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed. 11He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk. 12Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk? (John 5:10‑12)).
Will you not even now receive “the gift of God [which] is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom. 6:2323For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23))? You may have it by simply receiving Christ as your personal Saviour. “But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name” (John 1:1212But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: (John 1:12)). “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ [not just about Him, but on Him], and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:3131And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. (Acts 16:31)). I trust that you, unsaved reader, will even now do this. Then bow your head and thank God for saving you and for the sure hope of seeing Him and your little one.
Lovingly dedicated to the precious memory of the author’s little daughter, Esther Faith, who fell asleep in Jesus on February 11, 1948, and is now in Heaven, beholding the face of our blessed Lord and waiting for us.
Dear
Our sincere sympathy goes out to you at this time, when your heart is heavy and sad over the loss of your precious little one. We know that it is a sorrow which can only be fully understood by those who have themselves been through it. It is a sorrow so deep that only God, who calls Himself “the God of all comfort,” can speak peace to your aching heart. We trust that the message of this little booklet, taken from and based upon the eternal Word of God, will bring comfort and peace to your heart.
In sincere sympathy,
“Is it well with the child? And she answered, It is well” (2 Kings 4:26).
In the golden streets of Heaven
As the happy children play,
Gentle Jesus watches o’er them,
Caring for them, day by day.
And may you find comfort, knowing
In the Father’s home above
Your little one is happy
In the sweetness of His love.
Selected
Gathering Buds
Jesus has taken a beautiful bud
Out of our garden of love;
Borne it away to the city of God,
Home of the angels above.
Full-blooming flowers alone will not do,
Some must be young and ungrown;
So the frail buds He is gathering, too,
Beautiful gems for His throne.
Fathers and mothers, weep not nor be sad,
Still on the Saviour rely;
You shall behold them again and be glad,
Beautiful flowers on high.
Blooming in beauty in Heaven they are,
Blooming for you and for me;
Follow the Lord, though the city be far,
Till our bright blossoms we see.
Gathering buds, gathering buds,
Wonderful care will be given;
Jesus is gathering, day after day,
Buds for the palace of Heaven.
James Rowe