Thoughts on the Shootings in Orlando...

I wanted to use my blog this morning to share some thoughts on the shootings at the Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, FL.  Our national government has made three statements concerning the shootings.  First, that it is not an act of Muslim Terrorism (even going so far as to block out large sections of the 911 call to remove all references of Islam and terrorism).  Second, that this is a call for increased homosexual rights (I think current law makes all people equal, what more is there to give?).  Third, that this is a call for increased gun control (I could argue just the opposite – besides, had he survived, he would have faced hundreds of charges already.  He wouldn’t have let one more charge of illegal gun possession stand in the way of his 72 virgins.  His goal was to become a martyr by killing infidels.  He would have found a gun, or used some other weapon).

I’m sure it’s obvious by now that I don’t agree with any of those statements.  So what can we glean from this shooting that will help us in our life of faith.  Let me suggest the following…

First, let me make it clear that this was a horrible and senseless tragedy.  Horrible and senseless tragedies should be seen as reminders that we can’t know the date or the time of our demise.  They should be reminders that we need to make sure that we’re right with God now, before something tragic happens.  

Jesus was fairly silent on tragic events, but there is a glimpse in the opening verses in Luke 13.  Apparently, Pilate had several people killed while they were making a sacrifice to God.  Jesus asked the disciples, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way?  I tell you, no!  But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”  Then He brought up another tragedy that apparently had recently occurred, a tower in Siloam collapsed, killing eighteen men.  Again, Jesus asked, “Do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem?  I tell you, no!  But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”

Jesus seems to be saying that tragedy does not just come to sinners, it comes to everyone.  And unless we get right with God before it comes, we could be caught up in it and perish.  So tragedy, even the tragedy in Orlando, is a call to get right with God, because we never know when the tragedy will strike.  

Second, horrible and senseless tragedies should be a call for the church to respond to the hopelessness around us.  Tragedy can add to the hopeless feelings people experience.  But as Christians, we have a source of our strength, and a renewed hope through Jesus Christ.  In light of this tragedy in Orlando, our neighbors need to know that there is hope!  That all is not lost.  That there is a God who sits on the throne.  And while we may not understand why this tragedy happened, we do know that God is in control.  

Third, this is a call for believers to love the lost.  It’s love that will bring sense out of senselessness.  We cannot begin to understand how evil drives people to do horrible things.  But we know the love of God.  Show that love to others, be known for your love, and others will see God in you.  Even in times of tragedy.

In the Face of Troubles

 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.

1 Corinthians 1:3-4

Do you face troubles?  Are there some things in your life right now that you wish weren’t there?  Maybe they are health issues, you are not as healthy as you once were.  You have some things going on that you’re seeking treatment for, and praying that God will take it away.  Perhaps you have some financial burdens, it seems our expenses keep rising faster than our income.  Perhaps you have another trouble in your life that is causing a great deal of frustration, even grief, but you can’t seem to get by it.

Whatever the trouble, anxiety, or grief may be, 1 Corinthians 1:3-4 can help us through.  We can see three things from this passage that can be helpful.  First we see that God is God, and He is someone to be praised.  “Praise be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”  We can praise God in our trouble, we can look to Him for help.  Because He is truly the Father of Compassion.  

Next we see that God is also the God of all comfort.  Whatever our trouble, there is comfort from the Lord that can help us through that trouble.  In fact, this passage contains a promise that in Him, we will find comfort in all our troubles.  No matter what the trouble, no matter the cause of our stress and anxiety, we can find comfort from God.  God will not turn His back on us in our times of trouble.  We may turn our backs on God, but God will always be with us in our troubles, offering the compassion and comfort we most need.

Finally, we get a glimpse of a possible reason God might have allowed this trouble into our lives.  He comforts us in all troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we receive from God.  Why is this trouble in our life?  Perhaps it’s so that you may learn empathy for others going through the same or similar troubles as yourself.  Perhaps so that you can reach out in compassion to others suffering the same way you have.  

Who better to talk to single moms, than another single mom?  Who better to talk to someone who has gone through the loss of a loved one, than someone who has lost a loved one?  Who better to talk to someone battling cancer than someone who has won the battle themselves?

The things that you have gone through, while difficult, have prepared you to talk to others in ways that few others can.  And God wants to use that to bring comfort to others, and to bring others to Himself. 

Delayed Obedience

“See, the LORD your God has given you the land. Go up and take possession of it as the LORD,

 the God of your ancestors, told you. Do not be afraid; 

do not be discouraged.”     

 Deuteronomy 1:21

In the book of Deuteronomy, Moses records three big speeches, sort of a final reminder of who God has been, and where He has been leading.  In verse 21, we see God giving the Israelites the promised land.  “See, the Lord your God has given you the land.  Go up and take possession of it…”  

They had a better idea.  They approached Moses, and said, “Let’s send some spies into the land to scope it out and see what it’s like.”  Moses said OK, and twelve spies were sent into the land.  They came back with the report that the land was good, flowing with milk and honey, bumper crops, amazing fertile soil, beautiful cities.  

One problem: The people who lived were too big and strong for us to fight.  Moses gives the outcome of the spy’s report in verse 26,28, “you were unwilling to go up; you rebelled against the command of the Lord your God… They said, ‘The people are stronger and taller than we are; the cities are large, with walls up to the sky.”  

I think they forgot something.  I think they forgot that God had already given it to them.  The land was theirs.  All they had to do was go and take possession of it.  Yes, there were people already there.  Yes, they were big and strong people.  But no, they were not bigger or stronger than God.  And God would be with them when they go in to possess the land.  God was giving them a huge, incredible blessing.  A land to call their own after 400 years of slavery.  A fertile, beautiful, wonderful land.  But the people didn’t trust God, they only trusted in what they could do on their own.  So they didn’t accept the blessing.

That was thousands of years ago, but mankind hasn’t changed much, have we.  I suspect that we all have heard God call us to something, but we had our reasons why we couldn’t do it, why we couldn’t follow God.  So we rebelled, we did our own thing.  Maybe, like the Israelites, we went through the motions to see if we could do it without God.  When we saw that it was too big to do on our own, we abandoned the idea.  

That’s what the Israelites did, and none of the adults lived to see the promised land.  They turned down their only chance at that incredible blessing.  They wandered another 40 years, and when the adults had all passed away, finally their children were led into the land.  Same deal as before, but instead of hemming and hawing, instead of scoping out the land first, instead of sending in spies, the children just said, “OK God, Let’s do this!”  I’m betting its pretty obvious which group was blessed by God, and who was left to live without His blessing.

But even with such a vivid example, we still tend to hem and haw, to really scope things out first, instead of just saying, “OK God, Let’s do this!”

My wife had a favorite saying when our kids were young.  She used say, all the time, “Delayed obedience is not obedience.”  When she asked one of the kids to do something, she wanted it done right away.  And if it wasn’t, she’d repeat her favorite saying, “Delayed obedience is not obedience.” 

God works the same the same way today.  When you sense God calling you to something, don’t hesitate.  To truly show Him you trust Him, you must follow Him, no matter how difficult the task may sound.