Abandoned

A recent headline of an Associated Press article read: 
“11 Kids, Including Family of 9, Abandoned.”  

Eleven children, ranging in age from 1 to 17, were left at two Nebraska hospitals last Wednesday.  They were abandoned by their caretakers and turned over to the State to find proper care for them.  Nine of the children came from one family; a father left his five boys and four girls.  Two other boys, ages 11 and 15, were also abandoned at another Medical Center .

The caretakers who abandoned their children were protected under Nebraska ’s unique safe haven law, which allows caregivers to abandon youngsters up to age 19 without fear of prosecution.

The law, which went into effect in July, initially was intended to protect infants.  All fifty states have enacted similar laws, variously called A Secret Safe Place for Newborns, Safe Place , Baby Moses Law, Safe Arms for Newborns, Safe Delivery, Safe Surrender, and other names.  Nebraska ’s safe haven law is unique in that in a compromise with senators worried about arbitrary age limits, the measure was expanded to include the word “child.”  Some have interpreted this to mean anyone under the age of 19.

According to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, at least 16 children have been abandoned since the law took effect.  Todd Landry, director of Health and Human Services, said that in nearly every case, the parents who left their children felt overwhelmed and had decided they didn’t want to be parents anymore.

While hearts are relieved to know that provision has been made for unwanted children to receive proper care, one can only imagine how those abandoned children must feel.  How tragic it is for a child to feel unloved and unwanted.

How wonderful to know that God has not abandoned US!

When we were lost, He came looking for us in the person of His Son, Jesus Christ.  Jesus said of Himself, “For the Son of Man has come to SEEK and to SAVE 
that which was lost” (Luke 19:10).  God longs for each of us to become His child.  Jesus died on the cross for our sins so that we can be “adopted” and cared for by 
the Heavenly Father (Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:5).  

God accepts us into His family when we: place our faith in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from our sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of our sins (Acts 2:38).

And nothing, nothing, NOTHING can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:35-39).

God will NEVER abandon His children!  We must be sure that WE do not abandon Him (see Romans 1:20-32).

Won’t YOU accept God’s offer to be His child?

 -- David A. Sargent, Minister

Church of Christ at Creekwood 
1901 Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama  36695

Information gleaned from Associated Press article: “11 Kids, Including Family of 9, Abandoned.”  9/25/08

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