In a way this nation's courage and spirit is continually being disemboweled by incidents that throw great doubt into the arena of personal safety and security. Such horrendous events openly herald that the human race (with all of its advancements in communication and education) still continues to foster and unleash extreme darkness. This darkness is always lurking, always looking for the perfect inopportune moment to strike; and we are helpless to do anything about it.
We all have observed that just as seagulls will almost kill each other for an abandoned french fry, the fear mongers of this world stomp madly over each other to be the first to publish the sordid facts. Like tragedies before this, the facts will come out , will somewhat clarify, and possibly give us an opportunity to reassess the risks of living in our times. Those with deep political agendas will more than likely slither in and take advantage of the scared and uninformed public. Spiritual anarchists will heat up the situtuation by shouting harsh and critical doomsday prophesies from a safe distance (So as not to be directly involved). Survivors will be advised to embrace mantras that will get them further down the road where the pain and memory will begin to dissipate. But what of the Redeemed?
All of the Redeemed will have to face the questions of their soul and the Spirit will have us lift our hearts to cry “Tell me what You want from me!” Some will stand and wait for the reply while others will feel they have done their duty to pray and walk away.
If it is "the goodness of God that leads us to repentance" … what has happened this day? (Some may say “judgment” – but what of the children?) If "God is not the author of confusion" … then why are we confused? (Some will say – We are not confused, we had it coming – but what of the children?) If "God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance" ...what are we doing? (What?) If all we do is grovel in the paths of worms to find the answers to tragedy or pull out all the stops to accurately place blame, we will continue to plague ourselves with a paralysis that will have us rotting in the comfort of our own educated sanctimony.
An old friend told me one time that I was “incoherent, disillusioned and mad” … I was so grateful for his frank honesty because so often this is an acurate accessment. Possibly at this point (in the sharing of my heart) you may be feeling that way of me also, but Please listen on --- (it may get a little more incoherent especially if you read the next grouping of words just to get it done).
In Jeremiah 9: 1, 2 “Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people. Oh that I had in the wilderness a lodging place of wayfaring men; that I might leave my people, and go from them! For they be all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men.” , Jeremiah appears to be very much like us especially in the way we respond in our most desperate moments.
(Merry Christmas!) The world feels there is no Savior in the situation …
(Merry Christmas!)... in a world where we have all but given up hope.
(Merry Christmas! ) CRY FOR THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN SLAIN IN THEIR INNOCENCE,
and if you must, RUN AWAY TO THE REMOTE SAFETY OF LIKEMINDED FELLOWSHIP – BECAUSE OF THE WICKEDNESS OF THIS GENERATION... BUT then Go into the world and stand in the truth of “Merry Christmas!”
We could not continue this way and God knew it when He sent His Son … “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and THEY shalt call His name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with US.” Who are THEY?
THEY are those who have believed and received the Christmas story.
THEY are those who are crushed by the pain of others.
THEY are those who choose to leave the safety of the fellowship to reach out.
THEY are those who SHALL CALL HIS NAME into a disheartened world around them.
THEY are those who proclaim that JESUS is GOD WITH US !
He was born to live among our breaking.
He walked among us to feel the depths of our brokenness.
He died to own every situation of human tragedy.
He bore His sacrifice to reconnect sinful men with a Holy God.
He arose again to break the bonds of our brokenness and bind up our broken hearts.
He fully satisfied the requirements of Holiness to secure eternity for the believing.
He fully secures and empowers us in our brokenness by His indwelling Spirit.
He now wants us to join Him to be there for the traumatized, the confused , the hurting ... and let those robbed of hope know that
JESUS IS HERE.
JESUS IS WITH US!
so GO in Love with Him!
Merry Christmas !
HLFA,
Jeff