Day 12 - The heart of the matter

I awoke this morning to the disturbing news from Colorado about a gunman killing people at a theatre.  It was front and center on every channel, web page, tweet, etc.  I prayed and thought of all the dead, the wounded and the gunman.  A local pastor was interviewed and he summed it up best when he quoted from scripture about the heart of man.  He mentioned that when people ask why is this happening now?  It is not that evil has just arrived, we have lived with evil around us from the fall of Adam.  In Genesis 8:21 it states, "...for the intent of man's heart is evil from his youth.."  God was commenting after the flood waters had subsided.  The only persons remaining were Noah and his family.  Earlier in Genesis 6:5-6, "..the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was evil continually.  And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth and He was grieved in His heart."

So from the beginning we have had evil around us.  The huge difference today is that to atone for the sins and sinfulness of man, God sent His Son to be a blood sacrifice.  It is true that in ourselves exists no good thing but through Christ and His work on the cross we have been made in right standing.  No person can overcome evil within themselves without claiming that redemptive work, and walking in His grace every day.

So I took a minute literally and figuratively to sit and pray for our world.

Lord, you promised us that we would have tribulations and trials on this mortal sphere we call earth, our temporary residence.  Help the light of your powerful presence to shine forth from the people who can bring healing to us as we each experience evil in life.  I know it grieves Your heart when evil shows itself.  Brokenness is what is left in the wake of the storm.  Bring justice and healing to us all.  We can't do it without You and need Your guiding light.  Amen

I think it best to sit awhile and gaze back at where I have come from, enjoy where I am at, and then look up to what lies ahead.  I can't see what is around the path but I know with each step there are angels attending me and the Holy Spirit is mightily at work.