Baby Grace's Killers = Torturers = Parents

If you have a weak stomach, don't read the story linked above. It tells the tale of Baby Grace whose body was found in Galveston Bay in Texas. For weeks her identity was unknown. Now that she has been identified the mother and stepfather have been arrested, a very chilling story has unfolded.

Not only was the baby killed by her parents, she was apparently tortured. Stop reading here if you don't have the stomach for this.



They beat the girl with leather belts, held her head under water for periods of time and threw her across the room. Her head would hit a tile floor. The autopsy showed three skull fractures.

This is a challenge to one's faith. I don't blame God for people like this existing. Sin does terrible things and sin is man's creation, not God's. The challenge comes in figuring out what to do with these people. My gut says these people ought to be tortured as much or more than they did to that defenseless little girl, God rest her soul. But vengeance isn't ours to take. So that's problem #1.

Problem #1 is escapable if you believe these sinners will burn in eternal damnation. But that brings about problem #2. I need to be praying for their souls to be saved. They still should be put to death for what they did. Civil laws still have their just punishments and God's salvation doesn't give us any respite from the earthly consequences of our actions. It's very difficult to want these souls in heaven. I say that to my shame. I feel like I can relate to Jonah in times like this.

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=39&chapter=3&version=47
Everyone knows Jonah as the guy who lived in the belly of a great fish (whale if you prefer.) But the story of Jonah is much deeper than one of a guy who was saved by God in that belly. Jonah was a prophet who was to go teach the people of Ninevah about God and save them. Jonah didn't want to because the Ninevites were enemies. Jonah tried to flee, tried to argue with God about saving the Ninevites. But in the end they were saved, and Jonah didn't like it.

I can relate to that. Sometimes I look at people and think they don't deserve God's grace. Then I have to realize that 1) I'm acting like Jonah; 2)I don't deserve grace either, that's why it's called "grace."

This story makes that a tough, tough lesson to apply.