December 14, 2012

December 14, 2012. I had been planning this blog post for some time, even had the fun, quirky title of "The Almost Quarter Life Crisis" picked out and ready to go. I was going to write about how blessed I had been for the past 24 years and all the great memories I had so far, plus all the things I was still planning to do with my life. See, December 14, 2012 was my 24th birthday. However, that all changed when my phone chirped around 9:30 am on that Friday morning. I looked over at my phone, expecting to see a birthday text, but instead read a news blurb that there had been a shooting at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut.

As the day progressed and I continued to get news updates, I knew this post wouldn't be about me. Twenty children will never know what 24 feels like. Seven adults will never be able to reminisce about the fun they had during their 24th year. One parent will never be able to comprehend what happened to his son during his 20th year. This day was no longer about me turning 24. December 14 was no longer about me and the change that day brings to my life every year. Because from now on, 28 other families will remember it as the day that changed their lives.

 There's a couple of things to be taken from this tragedy.

1. For most of us this is incomprehensible. We try and search for understanding but we can't do this on our own. We're confused, scared and distraught.

       "Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified." Romans 8: 26-30

2. The Gospel.

           "None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one... Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not know. There is no fear of God before their eyes."  Romans 3: 9-12, 15-18

    We are ALL sinners and have ALL turned away. Does this verse only refers to mass murders or mad men? No, we are just as broken as those and only Christ has the power to save the worst of people.

      "But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ- by grace you have been saved- and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness towards us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." Ephesians 2: 4- 9

With all that has happened and is happening - Sandy Hooks Elementary School, the Aurora, CO movie theater shooting, the unrest in Syria, know this: When Christ returns and we are rejoicing in heaven with him,  the wars of this life will be over and no more suffering will be done!

"For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility..." Ephesians 2: 14

27 people were killed December 14, 2012. 28 Died that day. ALL of their families should remain in our prayers.