One Beautiful Life

Hope in an ever present darkness

It is heartbreaking how quickly we can forget... the ever present darkness.  It is heartbreaking how quickly we can be reminded... and in such tragic ways.

I had taken Abby to Moe's for lunch last Friday.  This is a love language for her... going to restaurants.  The very famous book about love languages needs to add another chapter as "restaurant hopping" was oddly overlooked.  As we took funny pictures of each other on my phone and shared cheese dip and salsa, I kept glancing up at the television.  The horror of what happened in Connecticut was already being covered.  Darkness erupted and being reduced to headlines and tickers.  "What's happened?" she asked me.  "I am not sure," was my response.  I could not find a way to tell her.

I watched my daughter laugh as we tossed chips back and forth to each other.  I listened to her tell me three times, "Mommy, I sooo like our Moe's dates... thank you for bringing me here."  And I watched in silence and sorrow as parents faced their new reality... they would never hear their child's laugh again... or their voice.  They would never see another smile, see another dirty hand print, wipe another snotty nose, or embrace in another hug.

When I see things like this... gun control and other "fast track to be blamed" issues do not even come to my mind.  They are simply easy targets... handy excuses and further distraction to keep our attention away from the real problem.  

The simple and ugly reality is this:  Darkness, who most often disguises himself as an angel of light, has gotten bold and shown himself unveiled.  Darkness has risen up and thrown off the mask of allure he normally hides beneath.  He has unveiled and shown a more realistic picture of himself...  just a quick glimpse... catching the masses off guard... leaving us gasping and reeling for answers and understanding. 

There are several issues being blamed and discussed after this deeply saddening event... gun control, school security, and media sensationalism seem to be the most visible.  But they are all tied to the number one issue... the evil presence of the enemy... Satan.  We do not wrestle against flesh and blood... but against principalities and rulers of darkness!  Ephesians 6:12~

The serious truth of the matter is that even when we seem to be comfortable and things "seem" to be going well, we live in a world where all hell has literally broken loose and wars against us daily.  Most people don't seem to notice or mind.  Some people don't want to know.  Some deny it.  Others ignore it.  It saturates almost every aspect of our lives.  It's displayed and endorsed in every single form of media and targets all of us.  It romances us in popular lyrics, television shows and movies.  It lies quietly waiting under the click of a mouse.  It poses itself boldly and provocatively in magazines and on billboards.  It wears beautiful clothes and says all the right words and promises a better tomorrow.  And it kills innocent children.  Evil is no respecter of persons.  It attacks us, our husbands, our children, our marriages, our families, our work places, our churches, our schools and our hearts.  It is real.  It is Satan and his fallen angels.  His three fold mission is to kill, steal, and destroy.

He is smart, cunning, thoughtful, manipulative, strategic, and the expert father of lies.  He hides behind the cloak of popular ideas, popular music, entertainment, ignorance, and comfort.  Beth Moore describes it as "friendly captivity."  He entices us in such subtle and saturated ways that we all too often can't remember when he entered into the picture.  And when we are vulnerable... he has been patiently waiting... waiting for that very moment... and he strikes at the very core of who we are... and goes for the kill.  No lace, no lipstick, no lies, no seduction, no rhyme, no disguising pretty packaging... just vile unveiled evil.  

Where is the hope in all of this?  Where is the answer to so many questions?  Where is the light?  Where is the justice?  Where is the healing?

The only place where one can rest in the presence of the living God... in the Word of God.  In truth.  In light.  In Jesus Christ... who won this war with His death and resurrection!  Sadly, the battles will continue to play out until He returns... when every knee will bow to His name and this fallen world will be made right again. But we must remain focused on the fact He has won the war!

"Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light to my path." Psalm 119:105~

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.  In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.  And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it."  John 1: 1-5~

"This is my comfort in affliction, Your word has given me life."  Psalm 119:50~

"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth."  John 1:14~

"For You will light my lamp; The LORD my God will enlighten my darkness... As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the LORD is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him."  

Psalm 18:28,30~

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."  John 3:16~

"He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.  Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret-- it only causes harm.  For evildoers shall be cut off; But those who wait on the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.  For yet a little while and the wicked shall be no more; Indeed you will look carefully for his place, But it shall be no more.  But the meek shall inherit the earth, And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace." Psalm 37:6-10~

This verse lies sweetly in the middle of the word of God... 

"It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man."  Psalm 118:8~

"Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, 'Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,' says the Lord."  Romans 12:19~

"He will feed his flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, And carry them to His bosom, and gently lead those who are with young." Isaiah 40:11~

"I will establish one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them--- My Servant David.  He shall feed them and be their shepherd.  And I, the LORD, will be their God, and my servant a prince among them; I, the LORD, have spoken." Ezekiel 34:23,24~

"I am the good shepherd.  The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep... As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father, and I lay down My life for the sheep.  And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also must I bring, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock and one shepherd."  John 10:11,15,16~

... the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining... 1 John 2:8~

 "Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and sea!  For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time."  Revelation 12:12~

"Then He who sat on the throne said, 'Behold, I make all things new.'  And He said to me, 'Write, for these words are true and faithful.'" Revelation 21:5~

"And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.  I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.  

Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter through the gates into the city.  But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.

I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches.  I am the root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star."  Revelation 22:12-16~

He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming quickly."  Revelation 22:20~

Our hope is in the Lord.  Our healing is in Christ Jesus.  Our power is in the Holy Spirit.  Our weapon against the enemy is the Word of God.  Our enemy is Satan.  And our purpose remains... to share the gospel of Jesus Christ in hope that no man perish without the promise of everlasting life! 

Without the Word, without Jesus Christ, without the Father... there is nothing left but empty attempts to understand a battle that has everything to do with Him!

Cling to it... devour it... learn it... memorize it... obey it... use it... and believe it.  It is our anchor in every storm. 

My prayers for comfort, strength, healing, hope, and salvation are with all the precious people affected by this tragic and heartbreaking event.