There aren’t many people in the US or other major countries around the world who haven’t heard about the shootings that happened in Tucson, AZ on January 8, 2011. During an outdoor town hall meeting a young man, who appears to be mentally ill, shot 19 people, killing six. Among those killed was a 9 year-old girl. Among those injured was Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, who was shot in the head.
Incidents like this make us ask, “Why does God let bad things happen?” Certainly God doesn’t make bad things happen. If He did, wouldn’t he make them happen to murders, rapists and child abusers?
Fortunately, and sometimes unfortunately, God gave us free will. “Made in His image” doesn’t necessarily mean we look like Him. It means that, unlike animals, we have the ability to reason. We have free will over our actions. God doesn’t make bad things happen, but sometimes people do. What He does is wrap loving arms around us and give us the strength to cope. Matthew 28:20b “And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
In the forward to his book, When Bad Things Happen to Good People, Rabbi Kushner writes, “I knew that I would someday write this book. ..... I would write it for all those people who wanted to go on believing, but whose anger at God made it hard for them to hold on to their faith and be comforted by religion.” It’s OK to be mad at God. He has big shoulders. The same shoulders that we lean on when we need comfort.
Prayer: God, grant me the serenity
To accept the things I cannot change;
Courage to change the things I can;
And wisdom to know the difference.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Thursday, January 6, 2011
"Footprints in the Sand" by Mary Stevenson
One night I had a dream--
I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord
and across the sky flashed scenes from my life.
For each scene I noticed two sets of footprints,
one belonged to me and the other to the Lord.
When the last scene of my life flashed before me,
I looked back at the footprints in the sand.
I noticed that many times along the path of my life,
there was only one set of footprints.
I also noticed that it happened at the very lowest
and saddest times in my life.
This really bothered me and I questioned the Lord about it.
"Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you,
you would walk with me all the way,
but I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life
there is only one set of footprints.
I don't understand why in times when I needed you most,
you should leave me."
The Lord replied, "My precious, precious child,
I love you and I would never, never leave you
during your times of trial and suffering.
When you saw only one set of footprints,
it was then that I carried you."
I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord
and across the sky flashed scenes from my life.
For each scene I noticed two sets of footprints,
one belonged to me and the other to the Lord.
When the last scene of my life flashed before me,
I looked back at the footprints in the sand.
I noticed that many times along the path of my life,
there was only one set of footprints.
I also noticed that it happened at the very lowest
and saddest times in my life.
This really bothered me and I questioned the Lord about it.
"Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you,
you would walk with me all the way,
but I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life
there is only one set of footprints.
I don't understand why in times when I needed you most,
you should leave me."
The Lord replied, "My precious, precious child,
I love you and I would never, never leave you
during your times of trial and suffering.
When you saw only one set of footprints,
it was then that I carried you."
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