The Incomprehensible

There’s a lot happening in the world that is simply… incomprehensible.

Shooting little children?  How possessed by evil does a person have to be in order to actually do such a thing?

I still remember little baby Easton with that rare and unimaginably painful skin condition.  Every time I think of him I break down in tears because it is just so… incomprehensible.

People all over the world that are starving to death while I am standing at the door of my full refrigerator wracking my brain for ideas as to what to put together for dinner from the bounty within.  Yes, incomprehensible.

Wars and famines and murder and hate.  Bounty, peace, love and generousity.  All in the same world, in the same country, in the same cities, in the same neighbourhoods, in the same families.  In the same person.  Because don’t we all get to choose?

I get to choose whether I will live the way of God or the way of Satan.  I have the power to choose.  You have the power to choose.  Each person has the power to choose.  The aggregation of these individual choices form the basic ‘badness’ or ‘goodness’ of families, neighbourhoods, countries, the world.

And one more incomprehensible thing:  Jesus Christ came to this world, so overcome by collective evil choices, not because He had to, but because He wanted to.  Because of His great love for us, still mired in our sins.  We are loved, each of us, no matter what evil we have done.  I love many people that I have crossed paths with through my life.  There are others that I have hated and, knowing that is not okay to do if I want the favour of God on my life, have forgiven and just try not to think about.  But Jesus loves them just as much as He loves me and those that I love.  Incomprehensible.

It behooves us, does it not, to look to the ways of our own heart, mind and soul?  What lies therein?

Not many people will go shoot a school full of little children but is there a difference in the condition of that man’s heart and the heart of a parent consumed with self rather than bringing up their children the way that God calls us to?  This one hits too close for comfort for me because I grew up learning to be selfish in many ways and I only saw that clearly after my children came along.  Yes, I’m a very flawed mother, God help me.

And what of the adamant and continuous assertion that any woman should (and can for the most part in North America) obtain an abortion for any reason, at any time?  Is the heart of the matter any different?  Black sin, all of it.  We, as humans, label one thing more evil than another, we have measurements we use to measure evil.  Some evil is accepted, celebrated even.  Other evil is condemned and breeds outrage.  And rightly so.  Rightly so a million times over!  We should feel deep heartache and anguish in matters like these.

In the wake of these shootings there has been much heated discussion on gun control issues.  No matter what happens with that, it won’t solve the issue.  People kill people because of what is in their heart and no amount of gun legislation will ever change that, just like no amount of drug legislation changes the fact that people who want drugs will get them.

I guess I went off on that topic a little more than I meant to.  It’s just that, being a parent to a daughter that is close to the age those children were (being a parent, period) made what took place that much more heartbreaking and sobering.  Same thing with situations like little Easton.  I just can’t get over him.  It would break my heart if I weren’t a mommy myself, but being that I have children just makes his story that much harder on my heart.

If I wanted to, I could go on and on about situations that are so evil that the blackness thereof is incomprehensible because, unfortunately, there is no end to the examples.  And we could go on and on, too, about situations that are utterly heartbreaking and incomprehensible through no one’s fault at all.  Like terminal illnesses and incurable diseases.

Which reminds me of two things:

Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life. (Proverbs 4:23)

And

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” (1 Peter 5:8)

We are constantly being hunted in the spiritual realm, Christian or non-Christian.  How we respond to this assault is what determines who we are as individuals and from there – families, neighbourhoods, cities and nations.  So again, let’s look to our own hearts and get right with God, one individual at a time.

And this:

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

It doesn’t matter who we are, Christian or not, we will have trouble.  We may not have the same kind of trouble as our friends, family, whoever, but we absolutely will have trouble.  Big trouble.  The kind that makes the bottom fall out on our world.  May God move in the Sandy Hook community and give peace to those grieving their.  May God move in each of our hearts and stir us toward holiness and away from apathy.