Rachel...Weeping for Her Children

I have penetrated this veil of sorrow, loss and grief, and now,

want to dig deeper. Where do I go? As I ponder this question

stories come to mind. The first one is about women...

“Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the 

wise men, he became furious, and he sent and killed all the male

children in Bethlehem and in all the region who were two years

old or younger according to the time he had ascertained from 

the wise men. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet

Jeremiah:”

“A voice was heard in Rama,

weeping and loud lamentation. 

Rachel weeping for her children;

she refused to be comforted, because

they are no more.”  Matt 2:16-18

Violence, death, helplessness, mourning, loss, wailing. Why?

Because a baby was a threat to the reigning king. All the males

two and under in the whole region, are dead. The “prince of 

peace” has arrived--and his birth has brought a sword.

I don’t know about you, dear reader, but the magnitude of pain

in that one verse, takes my breath away. Why? Why did God not

prevent it? Why was there an ancient prophecy? Why did God

allow it, for what purpose?

I think about the women. Mary leaves ahead of the slaughter sitting

on a donkey with her baby safely tucked into her arms, while Rachel 

sits desolate, her arms empty. And where, pray tell, was God in all of this; 

distant, uncaring, asleep?

NO! Papa God was weeping over each woman; He was weeping over the 

dead babies, the little lambs who were now cuddled in His arms. What else 

caused Him to weep? Papa God was looking 33 years ahead and saw 

 HIS only Son, His innocent Lamb, flesh torn, hanging on a Tree.  God

spilling His blood to redeem evil man, even those who had killed the innocent

babes years before.  Another woman is in the picture. Her name is Mary

and she sits weeping, stunned, helpless, full of sorrow.

Papa God, I so misunderstand life when I only look at the now. I have to

see things from your eternal perspective with Your purposes in mind.  I 

still do not understand why the babies were killed, but I do know you

cared and there was redemption.