Connecticut Tragedy

Last night we were at a friend's house enjoying a Christmas party, playing games, and singing Christmas carols. Of course, we all reflected on the events of the day, the tragedy in Connecticut. All those little children, we thought! We pondered the enormity of it and prayed for the parents. An old favorite hymn we sang was Away in a Manger. One of the verses is:

Be near me, Lord Jesus;

I ask thee to stay

Close by me forever

And love me I pray!

Bless all the dear children

In Thy tender care,

And fit us for heaven

To live with Thee there.

I image that to believe in a loving God at a time like this seems difficult. How could this happen? Perhaps God's excuse for this is Easter. As Christians we believe that the cross of Christ overcomes evil. However, did it overcome unfairness? I think not. Maybe, Easter Sunday is required, God must show us a way through unfairness and in fact he does. God promises us that he will restore all physical reality, problems in the world, and unfairness, to a proper place under His rule. Until that time, we have to be mindful that we only live life on Easter Saturday. In the meantime, we live in a world that is plainly bad and evil.

Frederick Buechner wrote, "To be commanded to love God at all, let alone in the wilderness, is like being commanded to be well when we are sick, to sing for joy when we are dying of thirst, to run when our legs are broken. But this is the first and great commandment nonetheless. Even in the wilderness - especially in the wilderness - you shall love Him."

I like the words of Philip Yancey in his book Disappointment With God. He writes, "Who in the world does not yearn for more justice in the world here and now? Secretly, I admit, I yearn for a world "fault-proof" against disappointment, a world where my magazine articles will always find acceptance and my body does not grow old and weak, a world where my sister-in-law does not deliver a brain-damaged child. My faith on such a fault-proof earth, my faith will let me down. Even the greatest of miracles do not resolve the problems of this earth: all people who find physical healing eventually die."

We need more than a miracle Yancey says. Perhaps the real miracle is what God promises in Revelation 21:4-5 "and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or drying, or pain; the first things have passed away. And He who sits on the throne said, 'Behold I am making all things new.' And He said, 'Write, for these words are faithful and true."