Are your eyes on the sky today? Mine are.
Today is the day many have said that our world is supposed to come to an end. I’m not sure I think it will exactly happen today, but that doesn’t mean I’m not looking up. Especially after the events of that horrible day, one week ago.
It has taken me a while to pull any words together to even begin to try and say anything after the horrific nightmare of Sandy Hook Elementary. I think the thing that has punched us all in the gut the hardest is the fact that these were precious, innocent, vulnerable little children who were senselessly, ruthlessly slaughtered.
Julia said just that after watching the first newscasts with me after getting home from school. She looked up at me with sad, confused eyes and said, “They were just innocent little children.” Yes Julia, they were.
It has been so incredibly difficult to even begin to imagine the horrific scene played out in that little school. ….It might not even seem real to us, because it is so incredibly nightmarish. And yet, it is real. And very, very evil.
The events of that day came straight from the pit of hell. Evil, in its deepest, meanest, harshest sense raised its ugly head.
Do you believe in hell? I do. And I believe there is a prince of demons who gave us a glimpse of his true essence in the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary.
I also believe in heaven, and in the God of the Universe, who created it all. And I believe that God has allowed evil to run free in this world, because we are not in Heaven yet. God, in His great love, is waiting for us to choose Him.
People have asked, “Where was God?” I believe God was there, protecting many in ways we may never know. I believe God was with those teachers who died trying to protect those precious babies. I believe God was with that teacher who died cradling one precious boy in her arms. I believe God was with the teacher who hid her children in closets, told the shooter they weren’t there, then died as he massacred her.
I believe God was there. I believe He was standing there, with tears streaming down His face. Perhaps He asked himself – “How much longer? How much longer before I choose to call an end to this entire creation?”
God is not a stranger to death. He wants all of us to be with Him in the end. He has done everything He can to make it possible. He watched His own dear Son suffer and die in order for that to happen.
My dear friend tragically lost her sweetheart husband to sudden, unexpected death this past March. In her Christmas letter yesterday, she wrote:
“God has reached out to the world with His gift of love named Jesus Christ so that the long, dark shadow death casts over us would be overcome.”
It has been overcome – Jesus Christ proved that by conquering death. And in so doing, He paved the way for all of us. It is the beloved fulfillment of Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you a hope and a future.”
What He has given us is His love – a gift that we have a choice to receive. And once we receive it, we don’t ever have to worry because our eternity is secure. “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my Words and believes Him Who Sent Me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.” (John 5:24)
Someday, this will all be over. Until then, I wait. Today I am waiting with even greater hopeful expectation than one week ago.
Eyes on the sky.
Come, Lord Jesus.
Today is the day many have said that our world is supposed to come to an end. I’m not sure I think it will exactly happen today, but that doesn’t mean I’m not looking up. Especially after the events of that horrible day, one week ago.
It has taken me a while to pull any words together to even begin to try and say anything after the horrific nightmare of Sandy Hook Elementary. I think the thing that has punched us all in the gut the hardest is the fact that these were precious, innocent, vulnerable little children who were senselessly, ruthlessly slaughtered.
Julia said just that after watching the first newscasts with me after getting home from school. She looked up at me with sad, confused eyes and said, “They were just innocent little children.” Yes Julia, they were.
It has been so incredibly difficult to even begin to imagine the horrific scene played out in that little school. ….It might not even seem real to us, because it is so incredibly nightmarish. And yet, it is real. And very, very evil.
The events of that day came straight from the pit of hell. Evil, in its deepest, meanest, harshest sense raised its ugly head.
Do you believe in hell? I do. And I believe there is a prince of demons who gave us a glimpse of his true essence in the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary.
I also believe in heaven, and in the God of the Universe, who created it all. And I believe that God has allowed evil to run free in this world, because we are not in Heaven yet. God, in His great love, is waiting for us to choose Him.
People have asked, “Where was God?” I believe God was there, protecting many in ways we may never know. I believe God was with those teachers who died trying to protect those precious babies. I believe God was with that teacher who died cradling one precious boy in her arms. I believe God was with the teacher who hid her children in closets, told the shooter they weren’t there, then died as he massacred her.
I believe God was there. I believe He was standing there, with tears streaming down His face. Perhaps He asked himself – “How much longer? How much longer before I choose to call an end to this entire creation?”
God is not a stranger to death. He wants all of us to be with Him in the end. He has done everything He can to make it possible. He watched His own dear Son suffer and die in order for that to happen.
My dear friend tragically lost her sweetheart husband to sudden, unexpected death this past March. In her Christmas letter yesterday, she wrote:
“God has reached out to the world with His gift of love named Jesus Christ so that the long, dark shadow death casts over us would be overcome.”
It has been overcome – Jesus Christ proved that by conquering death. And in so doing, He paved the way for all of us. It is the beloved fulfillment of Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you a hope and a future.”
What He has given us is His love – a gift that we have a choice to receive. And once we receive it, we don’t ever have to worry because our eternity is secure. “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my Words and believes Him Who Sent Me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.” (John 5:24)
Someday, this will all be over. Until then, I wait. Today I am waiting with even greater hopeful expectation than one week ago.
Eyes on the sky.
Come, Lord Jesus.
