Boston, Texas, and more

The Lord is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him. (Nahum 1:7 NKJV)

My last post on this blog was in 2011. Where does the time go? I haven't written here in a long time because I've been assaulted with the idea, "Who am I to say anything?" Well, I'm not perfect. I make a lot of mistakes, but I love the Lord and still want to encourage people with what encourages me.

In light of this week's events, I have struggled, like so many people, to make sense of these tragedies in Boston and Texas. The destruction, in both places, is hard to fathom. I won't pretend to understand why these things happen. It's one of those questions most Christians wrestle with on a regular basis. I don't have a good answer other than to say I'm not God. My mind is finite, limited. I cannot see all things or understand His bigger plan. What I do know, is God is still there. God is still with us if we draw near to Him

Someone said to me this week, "I just don't know how much more of this I can stand." My response is what it always is in these dark times. It won't always be like this. If we believe the Bible (and I do), our hope lies in His promise that Jesus will return. The world will be made new. This life is just a blip in comparison to the eternity He has promised us as His children.

In the interim, God shows us He still empowers people to help one another. He empowered bystanders and first responders to leap over barricades and tear them down to reach the wounded. He empowered people to share their coats and homes and food. That's just the tip of the iceberg in Boston. We don't even know the heroic stories that will come out of Texas. We all still need to allow God to empower us to help victims of both tragedies. The opportunity is before us to rise to the challenge and show God's love until He returns. Let's stand in God's love and share that love with those who need us in their darkest hours. Pray and look for ways to help. The medical bills will be horrific for people at both sites. And so many in Texas will have lost everything - homes, clothes, possessions. We can help. In the coming days, reputable organizations like Samaritan's Purse and the American Red Cross will be sending aid. Look at these organizations to see how we can help.

http://www.samaritanspurse.org/
http://www.redcross.org/news/press-release/Red-Cross-Response-Efforts-Continue-in-Texas-and-Boston