Today in our beloved country, terror has struck, once again.
On a beautiful spring day, attention of sports enthusiast,, world-wide, focused on the popular Boston Marathon. Runners from many countries had spent
countless days training for this event and made the trip with great excitement
and expectancy. The race began with joy, anticipation and friendly competition.
However, the race didn't end as expected. The horrible happened…a nightmare that
woke up a nation.
At the finish line, two bombs were set off in the midst of
many people in a city where over a million had come to participate or watch. Suddenly,
the unexpected happened and left three dead and many severely injured. One child
was killed and two others-all who were loved by people. I always think that. There
are people completely devastated tonight; a surreal experience I simply cannot
wrap my mind around…nor do I ever want to. They’ve lost someone, that they
dearly love, and they died in such a horrific manner. Other family members and loved ones, fill
hospital waiting rooms where limbs are being amputated from the injured. Can
you even imagine that feeling?
The day was meant for enjoyment yet ended in a traumatic,
terrifying event that has caused a nation to tune in to all of its news
and social media outlets. We are waiting for information, maybe some answers, some comfort…some
way to make sense out of a completely senseless act. Not only is this act senseless, it is heartless.
Only a heart cloaked in sin and deception could be so influenced
by the prince of darkness. We need to fill our churches, fill our pulpits, fill
our streets, and preach the truth of this
Gospel. Moreover, we need to stop wanting to be massaged with motivational messages
that keep us comfortable and thus, ineffective. Those messages are, “All about
us” but the Gospel is “All about others.”
One of the young ladies in our church tweeted something very
profound, “And just like that, my entire life was put in perspective.” Often,
it takes tragedies like this to jolt us back to personal inventory but the
trick is…keeping that perspective entact. Live ready! Help someone else to be
ready! We have the promise of Heaven, but we don’t have the promise of every
day on earth.
Nonetheless, a city is stunned, a nation is shocked,
families are mourning, and people are hurting in many ways. It is a solemn
moment. It is a time for reflection and meditation. It is a time to love and
show love. It is a time to crawl up on that throne wrapped in the Comforter. Maybe
you can talk or just sit there in His presence. However you choose to be with Him, He’ll be with you. Because it’s in times like this, we look to
our Father and there we find safety …in every sense of the word.
We bow our heads,
humble our hearts, and pray to our God for the people of Boston and all those affected
by this tragic event. You are not alone…in any way.