"Don't be afraid,
for I am with you. Don't be discouraged,
for I am your God. I will strengthen you
and help you. I will hold you up with my
victorious right hand." -Isaiah 41:10
Yesterday's
bombing at the Boston marathon once again shook our nation. We are confused. We are angry.
And over the next several days/weeks/months, there will be much talk on
TV, social media, and around dinner tables about this heinous act.
The news of
the marathon bombing hit close to home for me.
I am 32 days away from running my first marathon-the Windermere Marathon
(which happens to be a Boston marathon qualifying race). I have two sons very close to the age of one
of the three people who lost their life.
I knew people running and watching the Boston marathon. One of these friends is having foot surgery
today for shrapnel removal from the bomb blast.
We never want
to see acts like these. And in times
like these, I think it is fair to ask God "Why?" I think it is right and good to lament the
loss of life and the shaking of our feelings of security. I think it is necessary for us to be drawn to
prayer. We should pray for those
families who lost loved ones, pray for the injured (physically and
emotionally), and we should pray for those who committed this crime. They need God just as much as we do.
By no means
do I want to over-spiritualize an event like this. To me, watching the coverage on the news
yesterday simply reminded me that we are plagued with sin. We are a people – hurting and broken – that needs
Jesus.
I was also
reminded of the fact that this sort of thing – a bombing and/or other acts of
'terror' – happen around the world on a daily basis. Between 1969-2009, only 7.8% of the acts of
terror were committed against (targeted against) the United States.[1] That means that 92.2% of the acts of terror
happen to others. It is our duty, it is
our call, as followers of Jesus, to remember the people and countries involved
in these acts even when it does not directly affect us. Yes – when something like the Boston Marathon
bombing happens, it happens on our
soil. It hits us a little bit harder.
But may we never forget the suffering that goes on globally on a daily
basis.
The most
repeated command of Scripture is "Fear Not." As my wife and I talked to our sons last
night about the events of the day, we could see the fear creep into our youngest
son's eyes as he made the connection that the bombing took place at the same
type of race daddy would soon be running.
We got to remind him that God is
in control, even when we don't know why or how.
We got to thank God for His overall plan and His purposes. And we got to remind them both to pray for
these types of acts around the world.
I encourage
you to grieve well today. I encourage
you to ask God "Why!?!" I
encourage you to pray. And I remind you
that God told us – "Do not be afraid, for I am with you."
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