This song came to me this morning when I was thinking about all the things that have happened in the last two weeks. On the first of September, I received a phone call about 3:30 AM from my youngest son in the states. Through tears he told me that his oldest son had been shot by a policeman and had died. I could not believe what I was hearing. It was so unreal and still is. I flew home to be with my son and his family.
My grandson Caleb was the nicest kid. He would help with whatever when someone needed help. He was extremely intelligent with homework done in a flash. But somewhere a few years ago, he decided to go a different route than the way he had been raised. With tears in his eyes telling his mom and dad that he loved them, he told them he was going to do his drugs and there was nothing that they could do to stop him. They had spent thousands of dollars on counsellors, and even Boys Town in Nebraska for a year and a half, but to no avail. So what happened to this kind, good-looking kid? I don't have the answer. But I know that the Lord does, and I have to trust in His love and mercy. I have hoped that in the few minutes before Caleb died that he called out to the Lord to save him.
Because it was a cop shooting, the story went national. His druggy friends were saying to riot and burn Wichita. Really? How stupid! As if that is going to bring Caleb back or bring justice? My son spoke off the record to a reporter, who printed some of the things that was said. When the story was printed, things calmed down. My son, who had been in law enforement, said that he would have done the same thing that the policeman had done. Caleb had produced a gun and had pointed it at the officer. When nothing happened, he chambered another round, and with both hands pointed it at the officer. The rest is history. One relative was so angry with the policeman, saying it was an execution, etc. Really? Someone points a loaded gun at you, are you really going to ask if he is trying to scare you or is he going to shoot you? My grandson wasn't a thug as the term mostly implies, but he was outside the law and suffered the consequences of his decisions. Does his family mourn? Absolutely. But they also have deep compassion for the young man that ended Caleb's life.
The way our nation has gone makes me so sad. Race tensions have so increased in the last several years. There are those that call themselves Christian leaders who have only encouraged and led dissention among the races. They have not followed in the footsteps of Him who they say they serve. I would not want to be in their place on judgment day. Our country has fallen from the honored place that it once held. How sad, but God is no respecter of persons or nations. Our nation was founded on Bibilical principles. Our constitution was founded on the same, but our leaders refuse to follow and obey it. When a nation rejects God, God will reject that nation in time. He always sends warnings before judgment, but when the people refuse to hear and change, He does what only a loving God can do.
I know that the Lord will bring some good out of this very sad situation. My Grandma use to say that it is an ill wind that doesn't bring somebody some good. I believe Romans 8:28.
I will miss my grandson when I go to the states, but my greatest memories will be those times that we spent together, watching "scary"movies, eating tuna fish sandwiches by candlelight, and eating spaghetti and cheese.
I thank the Lord for perhaps saving Caleb from something far worse than the tragedy that took his life.
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