Been Thinking About
Like so many other people across the globe I'm shocked and saddened by the events of these past few days, first in Oregon at the shopping mall and yesterday in Connecticut at an elementary school where twenty six people were murdered; twenty of whom were innocent children. Perhaps I have no right to comment on this incident. Lord knows I'm certain I don't have all the facts, but I do have an opinion based on what I've seen so far and so I will take this time to express it. I'm struggling to put to words my feelings. First I'm distraught and then I'm angry. I'm confused and trying to make sense of what has become an all too common headline in American life. I'd like to sit down with God face to face and ask why this has happened. I guess I'll have that chance some day, and it will make sense and I will see that, while it wasn't His will to have this happen, He will nonetheless take this incident and make something good come from it. While that doesn't seem even remotely possible at this time, I believe that what the enemy of mankind has meant for evil, God will turn into something good. Many people have asked, why did God let this happen? As Mike Huckabee mentioned yesterday- we've asked God to stay out of our schools, out of our government, and for many out of our lives. At the expense of sounding harsh, perhaps He is honoring our request. Suppose you were a farmer. One day you go out to your field and sew corn. At harvest time you hook up the tractor expecting to find a field full of corn, but when you get there you see that in one row there is broccoli, in the next row turnips, after that pineapples, and then squash. You planted corn seeds, how then did you grow all these other crops? Thank God it doesn't work that way in nature. In the same way, it doesn't work that way in spiritual matters. Scripture says that whatsoever a man sews, that shall he also reap. I know that those innocent little children are in no way responsible for what happened yesterday, but as a nation, I think that collectively we are. We have been on a moral decline for quite some time. It's evident in our language, what we see on TV, what we accept from our political leaders and in many of the laws that now govern our land. We've been very much like the frog in the water, slowly being killed by the eroding away of our morals. I think we can still turn this around.Scripture says- if my people, who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray, then I will hear from heaven and heal the land. For the sake of this country I hope I will take to heart His promise and I hope you will join me in praying for the healing of these families and for the healing of this land. May God almighty be with us all.
Very well said dad! Love you.
ReplyDeleteThanks Autumn- I wish I never had to comment on such a subject again. I guess I don't have to comment, but I don't feel like I can just go on to the next subject without saying something. It's a pretty major event in our lives and we are going to have to have a change in the moral character of the population if we are to remain a country that enjoys the freedoms we do. We have ample examples of great nations coming to ruin because they went down a path of moral decline.
ReplyDeleteLove you too.
God allows it because we have a will to choose, but the promise remains that there is Hope to come. That belief's been indoctrinated in me from a young age and, as an adult, I'm inclined to study what I once accepted without question. The older I get, the longer I consider, the more sense it makes that God takes no part in the evil we choose to perpetrate against one another.
ReplyDeleteGood blog dad, the whole thing makes me sick to my stomach but all we can do is pray. We prayed for this situation at church yesterday, I just love my church :). Love you
ReplyDeleteTo my dear brother Tom,your heartfelt words and scriptural quotes induce some sense of peace within me as Ann and I struggle once again to make sense of this madness. We are angry and heartbroken and cannot begin to conceive the deep grief that the parents and familes of these innocents are going to have to confront for the rest of their years. Thank you for the Mike Huckabee reference...he's correct...our Nation is reaping what it has collectively sowed. The recent preponderence of these heinous acts seem to be perpetrated by young adult males in their 20's and logic dictates that the modern American culture of darkness and violence that emanates from the media,the films,the music and video games marketed to this segment of the population has penetrated their vulnerable souls. As our elected "leaders" direct their political influence towards gun control(a popular and covenient target) I belive their efforts in preventing future incidents of this heinous nature would bebest served if they would focus on the restriction of dark media influence. I recently heard a psychologist state that, no matter what preventions are taken, you cannot stop an insane individual from performing insane acts. Maybe so, but I believe it all starts in the family home, which then extends to the community and then our American nation. God bless these little children and their families.
ReplyDeleteHi Rene- I agree with you. I think people have an expectation that God is going to intervene to prevent all manner of evil and when He doesn't it confuses and confounds them. As I mentioned, I don't think we can just do whatever we want and expect to continue to recieve blessings from on high. The law of sewing and reaping is both comforting and frightening.
ReplyDeleteHi Camille-it's unfortunate that we have to deal with such a tragedy as this at all, but it certainly wakes people up to a problem. However, we can't legislate human behavior. As I've said before, we have a moral problem in this country and I think that until there is some serious soul searching and accepting responsibility for ourselves and our families, these kinds of incidents will continue to happen.
Hey Brett- I think you're right about the dark media that young people are surrounded with. I don't see any redeeming value to watching that crap. So much of the problem I think lies in the breaking down of the modern day family though. When half of all marriages end in divorce and kids are left holding the bag. I think it causes a ripple effect that most parents are unprepared to deal with. We've tossed out the traditional values that have been the underpinning of society for thousands of years for reasons I can't comprehend- political correctness, not wanting to offend anyone, freedom. As it has been proven, with freedom comes responsibility, which seems to be lacking in this country. In any event, as I mentioned,nothing goes to waste in God's economy and He can turn this tragedy around for some good. Thanks for commenting.