This message was preached at the Sunday School teachers' Conference in Mourne FP Church, Kilkeel on Saturday 25th Feb 2006.

Never has the life of a child counted for less that it does today. Not since the days of child sacrifices (Jer 32:35, Eze 16:20) has there been so much systemised abuse of children. We have children ritually slaughtered before birth. We have children deliberately misinformed at schools. We have children corrupted at home through television. Often, very young children are attacked or are injured or even die from accidents while they are out on their own without any parental supervision. In the public comment that follows such a case, there never seems to be any questions asked as to why the child was on its own nor any blame directed at the parents for allowing the child out on its own. The evil consequences that follow in the wake of the nation departing from God fall chiefly upon the children. They were slaughtered in the days of Pharaoh, in the days of the decline of the two kingdoms, in the days of evil Herod. They are still victims today. What a contrast there is between the value placed upon children by the Lord and that of sinful men. In our psalm they are termed the heritage of the Lord.