God be with you...

"It has pleased God to take from us one exceedingly dear to us, and we must be resigned to His holy will. Thus link by link is the strong chain broken that binds us to earth, and smoothes our passage to another world."
- Robert E. Lee



Yesterday evening, a family very dear to my heart lost their 20-year-old son in a tragic accident in their home. The local news reported that Trent Lockett was killed when his 11-year-old brother fired a pistol that Trent had been showing to him and a 12-year-old neighbor.

Some would say this is yet another reason guns should be banned. But even after hearing of this tragedy, I must say, I disagree. The gun is no more guilty of the death than the spoon is guilty for making America fat. The gun is a weapon - a tool - an instrument. It is used in war, hunting, and other various sports.

So was this nothing more than an accident, or was it an act of the Almighty God? Trent had removed the magazine from the pistol, but was unaware that a round was still chambered in the weapon when he handed it to his little brother. I believe that God has much more to do with this than many would like to give Him credit. Too often we forget that it was God who created Trent to begin with. In Jeremiah 1:5 God said "Before I formed the in the belly I knew thee;" Trent had a clear testimony that he had trusted Christ as his savior at a young age. God knew Trent's end from the beginning, and He allowed this to happen for a reason. That reason we may not know until eternity, but there are already things surfacing that are revealing God's hand in this matter.

Just one of those things I can think of, took place about a week ago. The family had a going away party in Trent's honor celebrating his departure for the military. Little did they know what a blessing it would be for everyone to get to see him just one more time before he left this world to go home and be with the Lord.

This has weighed heavy on my heart since I learned about it last night. My wife had taught Trent in school and is rather fond of his mother. Just three weeks ago, I was at the Locketts putting up a shelf in Trent's room. We count it a privilege to call both he and his family friends; they have been such a blessing to my family and our church.

Our prayers are with the family and their closest friends. May the God of Heaven give them a measure of grace of which only He is able.