It’s been heard all over the world; the violent act in Aurora, Colorado. I just read the names of the 12 people who died in the shooting. The youngest being a six-year old girl and the eldest being a fifty-one year old man. One of the victims was celebrating his 27th birthday that day and would have celebrated his first wedding anniversary today. Oh how I ache for his wife (as well as all the rest of the families).
There is a wonderful blog being passed around Facebook (I even passed it on) from a Christian woman who was in Theater 9 at that time. She went with her two daughters to see the premiere of The Dark Knight Rises. It is her take on the event as well as her incredible, increasing faith in God through their ordeal.
Here’s the link if you haven’t read it yet:
After reading Marie’s blog, I asked God yesterday, not in a doubting way but in an inquisitive way: “Why did you create us? Why did you create all of this if bad things like this happen?”
He answered. “Love. Because I love all of you.”
“For 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 NIV
In Marie's blog, she writes: “God made man in His image with the ability to choose good and evil. Unfortunately, sometimes man chooses evil. God is always good. Man is not. Don't get the two confused.”
“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
Romans 12:21 NIV
"Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honour one another above yourselves.”
Romans 12: 9-10 NIV
And then God showed me something and then it just....clicked.
Why do we have children? Because well, we’re just supposed to? Because that’s the next thing to do in our walk of life? Because we don’t want to buy a dishwasher? Because we want a legacy? Because we want to love them? Because we want to nurture them?
Why bring children into a world that is filled with hate, murder, rape, racism, etc.? Because there is still good somewhere in this world. Because there is still love somewhere in this world.
We bring children into the world, knowing that there is going to be hurt, heartache, sadness that will at some point enter into their lives. We don’t want it to; but realistically, in an imperfect world with imperfect people, it will happen. We give them the tools as they grow up to help them stay on the right paths in life but eventually the decision of what to do and where to go, is theirs. We can point them in the right direction but ultimately, they choose the road to walk down.
Free will.
That’s what God has given to us. Free will. He wanted us; He didn’t need us but He sure did want us. Love can’t be forced. It wouldn’t be considered love then. He doesn’t want to be loved by us because we HAVE to love Him because He’s FORCING us to love Him. He wants us to love Him because we have CHOSEN to love Him; to FOLLOW the path He has for us. It’s a path that always leads to a promise fulfilled, whether it be here on earth or in heaven.
One thing that God didn’t promise was that life would be easy. Again, we’re imperfect people who have flamed an imperfect world.
In the book of John, Chapter 16, Jesus is speaking with his disciples. Jesus is preparing them for the time when they will no longer be with him (he will be later crucified) and the verse is applicable to us now as much as it was to the disciples then.
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33 NIV
When I was in a young adult’s group about ten years ago, we had someone visit our group. He brought a puzzle. Not knowing what the picture of the puzzle was, we each took only one piece out of the two hundred and something piece puzzle. There were about fifteen of us.
We each went around the room and described what our piece of the puzzle looked like; try to figure out what the big picture of the puzzle was. After we all gave our thoughts and suggestions, the visitor showed us the completed puzzle picture. We were WAY off.
And that little exercise has stuck with me for over ten years. Why?
Because it’s exactly the way life is.
We are each our own piece to this HUGE puzzle. I only my piece and perhaps a few of those around me but we’re just one little part of it. We don’t know what the big picture is; why things happen the way they do. We can’t see it all.
I’ll say it again, as I did in a blog I wrote a few weeks back (to read that blog, click here).
I don’t understand why things are the way they are. I don’t pretend to. And that is why I choose to have faith in God; who has every little piece of the puzzle laid out in a completed picture that I can’t even imagine or comprehend. God has the road mapped out; I just have to CHOOSE whether to walk His road or one of my own. I didn’t do very well in my younger years when I chose my own road so I think I’ll stick with His. He created the heavens and the earth; so I know He is more than capable of mapping a road for you and me that will lead us to a place we couldn’t dream up even if we tried. And it will be a place that we can enjoy for an eternity.
“Faith is CONFIDENCE in what we HOPE for and ASSURANCE about what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1 NIV.
Much Love,
Meredith
Meredith
1 comments:
Thanks Mer, it's great to be reminded of this topic. It seems to be much needed these days for me. Much love, Justine
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