There is still reason to Hope

Normally on Monday mornings, I offer a quick word of encouragement on mercy- God's mercy towards us. However, yesterday I missed the opportunity to do so when it seemed that our nation could have used a supernatural dose of mercy as terror struck in Boston.

In light of this event and other local concerns,  today's ( #thankfultuesday) as I  call it,  I am sensing overwhelming energy of thankfulness. Though three (3) are reported dead,  and 140 injured in Boston, we can still find hope and thankfulness for the lives that have been spared.

What the devil inspired in the hearts of lost people; God will certainly turn around for the good of many.

Personally, I see the good coming in the form of unified prayer. People, believers...people of faith are becoming more unified through tragedy to pray for our nation and localities. Through these times of assembly and rallies for justice and prayer, our hopes are renewed in the resilience of our humanity and the power of community. Though lives are lost when these tragic events occur, lives are refreshed and a sense of people to people obligation is renewed among the living.

Those among us who do not believe in God or question how could a loving and merciful God allows things like this to happen, I want to encourage you in that thought. These tragic events are the acts of evil people whose hearts violate them and the sacred truth of living a life committed to God. Evil, when it penetrates the walls of the heart only contaminates the body and mind (Jeremiah 17:9); hence, we see uprisings demanding personal justice, retaliation, cult activities, and militia type behaviors...for the heart has beliefs and ideas that has justified these actions that support self/group supremacy. These acts only demonstrate the need for personal rights and not the betterment of the whole.

 These acts are not from the throne of God.  God executes justice in his time and his ways, and his methods yield salvation through repentance and the renewal of hearts and minds. God is loving and merciful.  What does it profit God; after having demonstrated his love for the world by the death of his own son ( John 3:16), to blow up innocent people at a marathon or in the twin towers, or in crowded places. How would that draw the " world to him".  No beloved, these acts are the acts of the wicked in heart, the sick in mind and the enemy of humanity.

Let me encourage you to take heart, and "fear not"! God is a God of justice  (Is. 30:18) God is very much in control and sees all. In his timing, justice will prevail. The wicked shall be judged and prosecuted, those who use the sword, bombs and other means of violence will die by such means. They will perish (Ps.37) Those who connive and set traps for the innocent will be victims of their own plots and plans. Rest assured that God neither slumber nor sleep (Ps. 21:4), and you can hope in HIM, for he is a refuge to the upright and those who fear him (Ps.46:1).  So look now to him for hope. God is an ever-present help and comforter. I pray the Holy Spirit will bring peace to every troubled heart and mind. During these times uncertainty, doubt and fear will rise, after all, that's the goal of terror. But, know this we serve a terrible, mighty, awful, powerful God. He is the Good Shepherd and not one sheep is lost to him. Jesus who was sent to ransom and redeem the lost has safely brought all who belong to the Father to the throne of grace. Fear not, whether we live to see the punishment of the wicked, we can take heart in knowing that God's justice is inevitable.

So, there is still reason to hope. We wait patiently for the justice of God. We wait for his 

deliverance from these evils days. While we wait , we have faith , for our Faith in God will be the paddle that clears the path through the tides of uncertain and scary times. Whether, we experience terror and despair via extremists, deranged vigilantes, or we suffer the pain of loss of a loved one from sickness, disease, heart attacks, car accident or natural disasters; be encouraged for we have a Hope! I know our humanity and attachment to this world and its ways makes it difficult to process this truth when we are right smack dab in the middle of crisis; but my prayer is that our Spirit ( for we are the design of the Spirit) will connect with the Spirit of God, and his truth and we will find peace, comfort and hope.