Oh God!

Oh God, where were You?
Oh God, why did this happen?
Oh God, can You make sense of any of this?
Oh God, how can we move forward?
Oh God, have you forsaken us?

I've thought these questions before. Recently, because of the news events of the past week, I've been thinking them again. The answers are the same.

Oh God, where were You? 
    I was right there in the midst of the tragedy. I am always here.
Oh God, why did this happen? 
    Ultimately, it's because of man's sinful nature. Because of man's rebellion, the world is evil. 
Oh God, can You make sense of any of this? 
    Actually it does make sense to Me but it probably won't make sense to you.
Oh God, how can we move forward? 
    You move forward one step at a time. One moment at a time. You move forward with My arms wrapped around you. You move forward because I move forward.
Oh God, have you forsaken us?
    I will NEVER leave you or forsake you!

Even though I can type my shallow "God" answers, it doesn't mean I understand them completely. Remember God's ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts. 

That first Christmas story had tragedy connected to it as well as Herod, full of fear and jealousy, had baby boys slaughtered in Bethlehem. We would like to think that Herod is dead but apparently he was alive again in Connecticut last week and still after our children. 

In reality, in times like these there are no words and if words are spoken they can be stupid as some of these words may be. 

I don't know why this happened and even if I did it wouldn't be reason enough for us. Even if we could ask the gunman what was going on in his mind. No matter how bad things were in his life,  I am sure they were not bad enough to kill 20 children. It just doesn't make sense. It probably never will.

We live under the illusion that we have some sense of control. The only one with control, the only one in control is He who has been in control from before time began.

I pray for those families, we know what it's like to lose a child, to lose children suddenly, although not by a senseless act of violence. I pray for the first-responders, the police officers, the firemen, the paramedics who rushed in there trying to save those kids. NO, you don't get use to it. NO, you don't get over. I pray for our nation whose life seems to be slowly robbed from us. I pray for our churches, now is the time to say this Christmas, JESUS IS HERE! He is Emmanuel, GOD WITH US. The Good News of Christmas isn't Christ is coming but CHRIST IS HERE! He is the hope of the world.