Brutality is Always Unfair

My apologies for the delayed posting. I was under the weather last week. But this was in the cue:
In light of the terrible tragedy last Friday I thought I'd put my two bits in.

When I hear people complain about what happened and blaming it on God I cringe. They ask, "Why did God allow this to happen?" "And, so close to Christmas?" I hate those questions because so much of the ugliness in this world is our fault. I liken it to a spoiled kid running around in slick shoes on wet glossy tile then asking, "why did I fall down?"

When you look at history this is not the first time young children have been senselessly killed.  In fact, if you take a look at Matthew 2 you'll see that a major baby slaughter took place some time after the first Christmas. Can you image the guilt Joseph and Mary felt when they found out their kinsmen and friends of the family had lost their babies? Knowing why they were spared such a loss and pain, and yet the town that found favor enough to herald the birth of the messiah was not. Can you image the confusion the families had? Wondering what did they do that warranted such an evil attack from the jealous lunatic that ruled the land?

I am so thankful that in the midst of our confusion and bewilderment we all have a God who knows this pain. Who has helped others through it all. He's seen it. He knows it. He will comfort.

But each must choose to turn to Jesus for comfort. It's part of the gift of free will that God gives us. The will to worship him or not worship him. The will to obey his laws or not obey them. The will to walk in the path of righteousness and blessing; or to follow our every desire, casting possible consequences to the wind. The will to turn to him and receive the comfort that only he can give, or to not turn to him.

He's not the reason for this pain we feel. He's the solution.