When most of us who are compassionate humans hear of a tragedy such as the recent Boston Marathon bombings, the first words in our minds and on our lips are, "Why? It's not fair! Who could do something like this?" And the part that we don't like is that most often times, we will never truly know the answer. This is where hope, faith, and trust in God is rooted...but these are also the times people turn away from God finding it hard to believe He would allow these things to happen.
First of all, let us make no mistake. Our God is a God of Love, a God of Mercy, a God of Righteousness, and a God of Justice. We all must live in this system of things here on earth where Satan is ruler and holds so many captive with his luring ways. But remember who created Satan in the first place...who made him an angel before his heart grew cold and greedy. God did. God created him, and at any given point in time when He sees fit and feels it right to carry out his plan, God can wipe him away and send him down in flames where he rightly belongs. And it will happen....that is a promise we can count on.
But in the meantime, there are many people in this world doing the evil ones works...case in point this recent senseless act (and countless others throughout history). We must first make sure to note that God NEVER causes bad things to happen, although He may allow them to play out at times. To some this may seem cruel, but to those that know the Lord, we understand it is all part of a greater plan. God never wants us to suffer, to be injured, to grieve for the death of loved ones when we know all too well they were innocent. But it is through these trials that we learn to trust in God's promises, we learn to believe in His Truth, and we begin to seek deeper relationship with Him. If everything in this world were just as it should be and there were no trials, tribulations, and suffering--what would we ever seek God for? Why would we ever praise Him? When would we ever want to grow closer to Him? How would we even acknowledge His existence? The answer sadly....we wouldn't. And He knows this. He knows our imperfections, our sins, our human nature. But He loves us anyways.
Yes, He will allow us to go through fiery trials, but He also allows Jesus to walk right in the fire with us! How many of our human allies would do that for us? How many of our friends, family, or acquaintances would endure the suffering that Jesus did, knowing full well they did not deserve it and were perfect and sinless? I think we can answer that as well...and the number would be painfully small. So as we go through hard times, we are reminded that even though it may seem senseless, cruel, or downright evil (and sometimes it is), God has assured us that there is a greater purpose, that He will never leave our side, and that He will dish out rightly deserved justice to those souls on judgment day...and you can believe that God knows and sees ALL. So our revenge, our hate, our anger, and our disgust are completely understandable and rightfully felt...but wouldn't you rather leave those things up to the One who has Almighty Power, and the one who can be sure that justice is served to depths we cannot even imagine? I sure would, for His wrath will be far more than I could ever accomplish. But when coming from God it is justified, when coming from us (regardless of how understandable it seems to us), it is NEVER justified. We must not become like those who have done terrible acts, but turn away and show even more love...only then can we break through Satan's barriers, and help in the spreading of the Word and Jesus' example of love so that the enemy can be overcome! God gives us the power, we need only to embrace and use it! No matter how unfair we feel things are in this present world, we need to lean on our trust and faith and believe that God is in control. He is here to give us a life of hope and prosperity, even through this. Won't you trust in Him, reach out to take His hand, and accept the peace, love, and mercy only Our God can give? Let Him in, ask Him to help you understand, and believe in His purpose.
"Evil people are restless unless they're making trouble; They can't get a good night's sleep unless they've made life miserable for somebody. Perversity is their food and drink, violence their drug of choice." (Proverbs 4:16-17 MSG)
"Don't hit back; discover beauty in everyone. If you've got it in you, get along with everyone. Don't insist on getting even; that's not for you to do. "I'll do the judging," says God. "I'll take care of it." (Romans 12:17-19 MSG)
"There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to Him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies, and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers." (Proverbs 6: 16-19 NIV)
We have all been there, and if not, we will be at some point in time. We sit and think.....where am I headed? What is in store for me? What do I have to look forward to in the future? What is going to happen to me and my life as the years pass on?
One of the hardest things about being an imperfect human is our inability to just stay calm in the unknown. We like to have plans, we like to know where we are going to be, when, and how we will get there. But many times, there are no answers to that...at least not ones that we ourselves will be able to foretell. But we need not fear, for God knows our entire path ahead and laid it long before we were created.. Jeremiah 1:5 tells us, "I knew you before I formed you in your mother's womb. Before you were born I
set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations."
Another comforting thought is that not one speck of our being is forgotten by our creator. When we feel lost, unsure, or worried...he knows everything about us, inside and out. Luke 12:7 tells us, "Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows." Our Creator loves us so much that He has made it a point to know every single detail, no matter how small or insignificant we may view it from a human perspective. Can you say that about any other human being you have encountered? I sure can't.
So do not be dismayed about your future plans, for if they are from God, they are all good! He makes promises and He ALWAYS delivers on them! What a comfort to know the one true place we can go where we will never be let down is right at our fingertips every second of our lives...but we are responsible for seeking and trusting in it enough to let God lead our paths, instead of leading our own. No matter how uncertain or scary it may seem, remember that God never fails and NEVER will set us up for anything except an abundant future. He is our hope!
Jeremiah 29: 10-11 (MSG) "This is God’s Word on the subject: “As soon as Babylon’s seventy years are up and not a day before, I’ll show up and take care of you as I promised and bring you back home. I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for."
Brightly colored eggs, chocolate bunnies, jellybeans, and the Easter Bunny! What a fun time of year! These things make us child-like at heart and bring us plenty of smiles. These things can be exciting and harmless...IF we know and celebrate the TRUE meaning of Easter in our hearts.
So what is Easter really? Baskets, candy, bunnies, fuzzy baby chicks, and pretty pastel decorations? That is the commercialized view of it, and many peoples' focus of this holiday. But what is the TRUE meaning of Easter? Why do we celebrate this holiday each year? Well, if you are a Christian as I am, you might recognize some of the reasons I am about to share. And if you aren't, I hope you gain a little bit of insight as to the real reason we should celebrate by giving praise to Jesus on this wonderful holiday!
Just as those fuzzy chicks hatch out of their egg shells into new life, Easter commemorates much the same thing for us. Jesus was resurrected on the third day after his crucifixion, which entailed three hours of incomprehensible torture. This was the willful condemnation and death for our human sins. But on the third day...Easter Day...Jesus arose from the grave to life again! Jesus' death on the cross marked the final sacrifice for human sin, and his blood gave us complete forgiveness and eternal life. Jesus was blameless and without sin, the only perfect human, yet he bore all of the sacrifice for us. He was resurrected on the third day in his human body and appeared on the earth for 40 days, then ascended into Heaven to take his rightful place and watch over us.
At Jesus' crucifixion he was mocked, ridiculed, and spit on. God's name was blasphemed! Jesus endured repeated beatings, whippings that caused his flesh to rip away from his body, a crown of thorns that punctured and gashed his head, a spear driven through his side, spikes driven into each of his palms, and his feet crossed over one another and nailed together with a single spike. To rest meant torturous pain for Jesus as the spikes pulled and dug into him. So he switched back and forth between arching his back and pushing up on the spike in his feet in order to gain each breath. He was then forced to walk with the enormous wooden cross on his back until he could bear the pain and weight no longer. Then, men carried the cross the rest of the way to Golgotha, where Jesus died. He was tortured so intensely that that when there was no more blood to pour out, Jesus poured out only water from his wounds.
Jesus was placed in a tomb and the entrance to the tomb was covered by a large stone. On the third day (Sunday) when the women came to anoint Jesus' body, an earthquake took place and the stone was rolled away. Jesus' body was gone. He was risen and he ate and drank with the people. His resurrected body was different than his human body. He could transcend locked doors, but yet could still eat and be touched like you and I.
Jesus endured more than any of us could ever imagine. Yet he was blameless, and none of us deserve the sacrifice he has made. So I ask you today...if Jesus would be so willing to die for all of our sins and iniquities because of the perfect love he has for mankind and his desire to carry out God's plan, what are we willing to do? For our church? For our family? For our friends? For our neighbors? For our communities? For those suffering or less fortunate? And the most important question of all...what are we willing to do for God's glory? We do not deserve the benefits of the sacrifice Jesus made, yet the Lord deserves all. How will we live our lives for Him, how will we walk in Jesus' image, and what will drive us to truly celebrate Easter this year? We need to remember that it is about Jesus, not about us. Because without Jesus, there is no us.
Give thanks to Jesus, give praise to God, and remember how blessed and forgiven you are this holiday season. What we are asked to give is nothing in comparison to what Jesus has already given us. What will YOU give?
We are human, we are imperfect, we make mistakes, we sin, and we regret. But
through all of that which we continue to do over, and over, and over...God's
arms are always the same. They are wide open, waiting for our return, and
yearning to hold us close. Sometimes we can be stubborn and rebel, sometimes we
feel unworthy, and sometimes we just plain lose hope. There is one being who
NEVER is stubborn, NEVER rebels, NEVER feels unworthy, and NEVER loses hope.
Would that not be the most wonderful one to follow? One who makes no mistakes,
acts only out of love, and always forgives. Can we say that about any human? No,
we cannot. So why do we follow humans, why do we try to fit in so desperately,
and why do we care what other humans think of us and our ways?
It is
part of our imperfect nature that we must struggle against every single day, in
everything that we do. There is only one place we can go where we know that
there are never mistakes made, we will be forgiven no matter how we falter, we
are beautiful and perfect just as we are, and where we are loved
unconditionally. That is only in God's loving arms...and in the shelter of His
heart. Christ died for us...because the Lord loves us, feels we are worthy, and
wants our praise. We owe all to Him, for without Him...nothing is possible. We
simply need to open our arms...and ask Him to wrap us up in His.
