“He said to them, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.’” Matthew 19:14

There’s something about riding in the tractor with Grandpa. Ask any child, farm kid or city tot, there’s nothing quite like climbing up onto that dusty seat, riding up and down the fields, and falling asleep on his arm to the hum of the tractor engine; just you, Grandpa, and the land. It’s enough to put any young child into fits of delight. This is what childhood memories are made of. But in those moments of boyhood bliss, the unthinkable happened this past Saturday when a spring broke through the tractor cab killing sweet Rylan Decker while he was riding along doing farm work with his granddaddy.

In an instant, he was gone.

When we hear stories like these during this season of family and thankfulness, we sit back stunned that something like this could happen. How, God, in your goodness could you allow this? Where were you? Why do you seem so far away?

This. Is. Not. Fair.

No, it’s not fair. It’s wrong and it’s painful.

And yet… in the pain there is goodness. In the moment that Rylan took his last breath here on earth, he took the fullest breath he’s ever taken in heaven. And when he opened his eyes, it was the face of Jesus that welcomed him into his heavenly home. I imagine that Jesus crouched down, smiled and simply said, “Come to me,” opened his arms, and Rylan fell into them. In those moments, he fell into pure and perfect love. There was no pain and no fear; just the fullness of the goodness of Jesus. And it’s a love he never could have experienced this side of Heaven.

You see friends, the goodness of our God is not based off of the goodness of our lives here on earth. It’s based off of the goodness of his love that lets his little children come. And on Saturday, Rylan Decker was told by his Heavenly Father to, “Come.”

Jesus loves me! He who died

Heaven’s gate to open wide;

He will wash away my sin,

Let His little child come in.

Yes, Jesus loves me!

Yes, Jesus loves me!

Yes, Jesus loves me!

The Bible tells me so.

Her View From Home has roots in Nebraska and many of our writers come from farming backgrounds. We know the love of farm life and want to extend our sincere sadness, thoughts and prayers to the family and friends who will forever love this child.

Feature image via Twitter –  KWCH12

A boy is killed in a farming accident. @KWCHDeede has the latest and how the family is remembering the boy. https://t.co/qNIJRA9gPL #KWCH12 pic.twitter.com/tBjWS8ma5g

— KWCH Eyewitness News (@KWCH12) November 27, 2016