Broken-ness




The news today was just sad. Barely able to wrap my head around the event, I could only whisper a prayer as tears fell.

There is no way to rationalize tragedy. It doesn't matter if the loss is following a "good long life" or "slipping away in sleep." It doesn't matter if "a window opens every time a door closes". The pain seems to be the only reality at that moment. How to breathe, how to get through those first numb days, those are the things that take energy.

In light of today's tragedy, some have said God couldn't possible exist. I can understand that. If we think God is good, how could he allow such horror to happen, and to children nonetheless?

But there is a lot of horror in this world. Three men were burnt, one severely, at a local factory. A father was shot and now brain dead because he went to bring his son out of a drug dealer's house. Lovely women get cancer. Jobs are lost or restructured causing economic insecurity. These are some of the tragedies I know of personally in the last week.

Why doesn't this disprove God to me? Or at least his goodness?

Maybe it should. What it reminds me, tho, is that we are living in a broken and dark world. It reminds me that the second advent of Jesus is not far off. I expect pain and suffering, as much as I despise them. My hope, and my confidence, does not reside here.

President Obama doesn't hold my Hope. My job does not secure my Hope. Nor even does my husband.

My Hope is that Jesus changes hearts.  He holds together the broken.  He heals the sick.  He releases the prisoner.  Of course, some of that is literal, physical, but much of it takes place in the spiritual, within us. This world needs Hope.  I know what Jesus has done for me, within me, to me.  If you do, too, what are you doing about this broken world?

Welfare systems and soup kitchens are great, but are you willing to walk alongside someone who is struggling?  Would you mentor a teen or an adult who is looking for Hope?  Even if, especially when, they aren't sure what Hope is?

Jesus came as a baby.  God left heaven to dwell among us.  Imagine how amazing heaven must be, and then think about our world.  Talk about uncomfortable!  And this wasn't anyone "normal."  This is the Creator of the universe, speaker of stars, the beginning and the end, the I AM.  He came to us, to relieve our burden, to save us from the decay in our hearts.  If he was willing to make himself a little uncomfortable out of love for us, shouldn't we be able to love those who don't know him?  Shouldn't we run to humble ourselves to relieve their burdens?

I don't know.  I know my God is good, and I know that he has given me more life than I deserve.  Giving him a bit of mine doesn't seem too much.  A little of me to heal a little piece of this world until Jesus comes again, putting everything in order.  Man, do I look forward to that day!

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