Monday, January 10, 2011

In the Blink of an Eye

I am still numb from the tragic events in Tucson last Saturday. I have shopped at that Safeway store many times. I know several church members and friends who would've been there that morning, but for various reasons....running late, change of plans...they, thankfully, were somewhere else. Tucson is a city with a small town feel. People live here to get away from big city crime and problems. No one expected to ever deal with anything like this.

It is hard to know how to help. It's not like a natural disaster....rather an emotional disaster. My heart aches for that young girl's parents. Several of our church members and friends know someone who was killed or injured in the massacre. It is a reminder that life is fragile and it doesn't have to be a car accident or plane crash....it can be taken away unexpectedly. And that poses another question in mind...

Did the 6 murdered victims know about Jesus? And if not, why not?

One church member posted a thought provoking facebook status, "One thing is clear...one person was not transformed by the gospel". Every opportunity is an important one for Christ. Not to try to change a person ourselves...but to plant a seed and give them the chance to make that choice for themselves. But a seed can't plant itself.

We have prayed for opportunities for us, our church to minister, serve and witness to our community during this time. We've prayed for those affected by the tragedy. We've prayed that hate not be given priority but for God's intervention.

And one thing is clear through all this:
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:38

1 comment:

RamblingMother said...

I am so sorry. Praying for the tragedy and the people affected which runs deeply through our nation!