"Break my heart for what breaks Yours"
I spent a good chunk of time tonight crying for and with the people of Connecticut. For those of you who don't tend to read the news or Twitter or Facebook or speak to anyone and have somehow missed the horrific events of today...27 people have died in a shooting in a primary school in Newtown, Connecticut, of which 20 are children between the age of 5 and 10.
The photos, the news stories, Obama's speech. I'm finding it all heart breaking. And once more raises the question of how such a loving God can allow so much suffering.
I have no words, no great explanation, but what I can show you is a fantastic blogpost written after the Aurora shootings earlier this year. Marie was in that movie theatre and here's an excerpt:
"Why would you think such a tragedy would make me question the goodness of God? If anything, both of my girls said it made Him a much more real presence to them; the youngest shared this verse: Do not be afraid of sudden fear nor of the onslaught of the wicked when it comes; for the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your feet from being caught. Proverbs 3:25-26
He is not the cause of evil, but He is the one who can bring comfort and peace in the midst of evil. It’s been amazing to see the outpouring of love from so many people after this unthinkable act. Yes, there was one evil act, but it is being covered by thousands, possibly millions of acts of kindness.
We have not yet slept, so the girls and I are overtired and a bit emotional. But overall, we are praising God and resting in His Goodness...Though we don’t have all the answers, we do indeed listen to the cry of our hearts: When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You. In God, whose word I praise, In God I have put my trust; I shall not be afraid. What can mere man do to me? Psalm 56:3-4
God is always good.
Man is not.
Don’t get the two confused.
We will continue to praise and worship our mighty God, anticipating that He will bring beauty from ashes, as only He can do."
You can read the full blog here.
A few years ago, I remember praying that God would put situations, events, people on my heart and not long after I heard this song:
"...I turn off the news when I don't like what I see it's easy to do when it's population me. What if there's a bigger picture, what if I'm missing out, what if there's a greater purpose, I could be living right now, outside my own little world, population: me...Start breaking my heart for what breaks Yours, give me open hands and open doors, put Your light in my eyes and let me see, that my own little world is not about me"
Tonight, I cannot be sad about things going on in my life, I cannot worry about the future. I can only pray peace and comfort into the lives that have today been changed forever. Children and siblings dead, innocence stolen, families broken, mothers, fathers, sons, daughters. Changed. Tonight I can pray for America, pray for the government, pray for positive change. As Obama said in his speech today: these repeated shootings require "meaningful action... regardless of politics".
Psalm 34:18 - The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.
Heartbroken.
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| Photos from Reuters. |
I have no words, no great explanation, but what I can show you is a fantastic blogpost written after the Aurora shootings earlier this year. Marie was in that movie theatre and here's an excerpt:
"Why would you think such a tragedy would make me question the goodness of God? If anything, both of my girls said it made Him a much more real presence to them; the youngest shared this verse: Do not be afraid of sudden fear nor of the onslaught of the wicked when it comes; for the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your feet from being caught. Proverbs 3:25-26
He is not the cause of evil, but He is the one who can bring comfort and peace in the midst of evil. It’s been amazing to see the outpouring of love from so many people after this unthinkable act. Yes, there was one evil act, but it is being covered by thousands, possibly millions of acts of kindness.
We have not yet slept, so the girls and I are overtired and a bit emotional. But overall, we are praising God and resting in His Goodness...Though we don’t have all the answers, we do indeed listen to the cry of our hearts: When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You. In God, whose word I praise, In God I have put my trust; I shall not be afraid. What can mere man do to me? Psalm 56:3-4
God is always good.
Man is not.
Don’t get the two confused.
We will continue to praise and worship our mighty God, anticipating that He will bring beauty from ashes, as only He can do."
You can read the full blog here.
A few years ago, I remember praying that God would put situations, events, people on my heart and not long after I heard this song:
Tonight, I cannot be sad about things going on in my life, I cannot worry about the future. I can only pray peace and comfort into the lives that have today been changed forever. Children and siblings dead, innocence stolen, families broken, mothers, fathers, sons, daughters. Changed. Tonight I can pray for America, pray for the government, pray for positive change. As Obama said in his speech today: these repeated shootings require "meaningful action... regardless of politics".
Psalm 34:18 - The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.
Heartbroken.
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