As I sit here watching Good Morning America, listening to a children's choir offer us condolence through the words of Amazing Grace, I am so grateful for my salvation.
I have shared with friends and family, as we have all discussed the tragedy at Sandy Hooks Elementary School this weekend, I cannot imagine the fear in the adults minds. The children, yes, its terrifying I have no doubt and am not discounting that, but as a mother of 3 young children, I also know fear is different when you don't fully understand all the evil around you. The teacher who sought protection with her students in the bathroom said one little boy said he knew karate and would go out first. I think this perfectly sums up the innocence of little ones. The teacher on the other hand was sure they were all going to die. Its a fear I cannot imagine.
So many people have questioned a God that would allow this to happen. I am going to explain this in the way I (personally) understand this.
We are fallen. When God created Adam and Eve, it was a perfect world. They had all the "good" things they needed. They were told to avoid the one "bad" they DIDN'T EVEN NEED. How often this is true for me. I have all the good I need. All the good I need to survive, to be full, all the opportunities to make the right choices. They allowed a voice to convince them there was something a little bit better lying there in the bad they were told to refrain from. How often this is true for me. There must be something better in that bad decision I will choose to make again. Sure, I remember clearly regretting it last time. But, surely it will turn out different this time. God, the Father, gave them the choice to make their decisions, but he also loved them deeply after that bad decision. How often this is true for me. As parent, I do not love my child less today because of their bad yesterday.
I serve a God who doesn't make the bad things happen, but loves deeply when His children do bad things.
I also serve a God, that through my belief and relationship with his son Jesus, I have a promise of eternity. A promise that after our miscarriage 11 years ago, I clung to for life. A promise that reminds me constantly that this world IS. NOT. ALL. As much pain as our flesh can feel here, there is an ultimate healing there where no pain will be felt. I know too that being there is much better than being here. I will not miss this. I will not long and ache for this world left behind. I will gladly give this up for that. I am so grateful today for this reminder. This reminder has brought me comfort this fear filled weekend.
God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16
If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9
Perfectly said!
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