MORNING MANNA          7-22-21

Yesterday morning  I woke up fully aware that it was the day we would celebrate the birthday of our oldest child. What I didn’t know was that at 6:33am Kathy would be standing at my gate with tears in her eyes telling me that our third born child, Tracy, had died. WOW! I never saw that coming. Just last week I had commented about how thankful Bev and I are because all eight of our children are alive. Over and over again God had answered our prayers to protect our children and we hoped they all would outlive us. But yesterday He had a different plan and it hurts. I covet your prayers for Bev and all our family.

However, although I grieve I must not gripe. God is just as good now as He has always been. I am thankful for all the times God answered my prayers. I can truly say as Job did, “the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD” (Job 1:21). I always wondered how I could possibly deal with the loss of a child – all the while hoping I would never have to. Now I know. It is exactly as I have been preaching the last 55 years – God’s “grace is sufficient” ( 2 Cor. 12:9). Having lost both parents, one sister, numerous other loved ones, and now one child it has always been the grace of God that has sustained me. And He will do the same for all who trust Him.

What grieves my heart is to think of all the people I know and love who have not trusted Christ as their Lord and Savior – those who do not have the hope of eternal life. For them my heart breaks. If that describes you please know the “it is appointed unto men once to die” (Heb. 9:27). Tracy was only 55 and we know not when our time will come – it could be today! That is a fact everyone needs to face, and it is a dreadful thought if you are without Christ. The good news is “that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures”. Please trust Him today — before it is too late! – Bro. Stone

David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346