Sorting through a broken world with truth

[I wrote this right after the shootings at the school in Connecticut. Didn't publish it, but now in rereading I will.  Distance always helps.]

The reason one writes....the reason I write....is to put thoughts on paper, to perhaps organize thoughts into more logical thinking when things happen that can't be understand . That's is what this post is about....words that will help me sort out the madness of this broken world we live in. Such a broken world.

Putting down the things I know are true might help me begin:

*God created a perfect world...no sin, no weeds, no tears, no broken people.
   *But man sinned....a perfect world collapsed into brokenness and neediness.
      * God's plan, his purpose was all in place before the beginning of the world.
          *God's purpose is GLORY and Praise and honor for His Son
             *God's plan to bring glory to the Son includes a redeemed broken people to praise and thank Him.
                *In a broken world the only answer is God...because we can't fix anything....not others and
                   certainly not ourselves.
                   *He uses our neediness to draw us to Him.
                      *Not everyone will believe, will have faith to believe.

When bad things happen...when terrible, unspeakable things happen, He is the only answer...a sovereign, Holy God of grace, Who works everything for His glory and our good.

And so we praise God and we ask Him for grace, for peace, for comfort, for the trust and belief that we lack.  We go to Him as our shelter from the storm,as our place of safety, as our rock in the midst of shifting sands and times that we don't understand. He is our rest.

And through it all, and especially through the hard times, we know that He is teaching us more and more about Himself.  Teaching us to understand like Job did that this is all about God and not us. It is about His purpose.  That we are His creation, created to trust the Creator. Our "Why's" are answered with an understanding of Who He is, of His very character.

Job 42:2-6  

"I know that you can do all things,

   and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.

Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?"

Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, 

   things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.

Hear, and I will speak:

   I will question you, and you make it known to me,'

I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear,

   but now my eye sees you;

therefore I despise myself,

   and repent in dust and ashes."

We pray "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven..."

And then we go out and love others, show grace to others, pray for others, pray for His will to be done.... we trust and do not fear.

And when others question God,
      when others curse Him,
               when others don't understand why,
we don't make excuses for our God,
     we ask Him to show His character,
         and His truth through His redeemed people, through me.

Father, Lift up your name during this time. Don't let others malign your name because of what happened.
What happened last Friday is beyond our understanding, our explaining....but through it we see absolute evil of our enemy, the devil, who is the father of lies and murder. We beg of you to stop evil in this world.
Father, we beg of you to reach out to those hurting with comfort, love and peace. Wrap your arms around them through your people who are near.
Father, we are so inadequate, but you are God....our God of refuge and strength.
Father, we ask that your "Kingdom come, your will be done, here on earth as it is in heaven."
We praise you and give all honor and glory to you.
Amen

And I thank Him always for his beauty in His creation.