As I sat the other morning before the word of the Lord and let my heart ponder the recent shooting in Orlando I prayed, seeking guidance from my God. When things like this happen I try not to respond immediately because if I do, usually it will be in the flesh, and it will be a reaction not a response. So I pray and I wait for the Lord to direct my heart.
This morning in my daily Bible reading the Lord had this verse waiting on me.
He who mocks the poor taunts his Maker;
He who rejoices at calamity will not go unpunished.
Proverbs 17:5
As a Christian how am I to respond to this appearing Islamic terrorist who went into an openly homosexual club and murdered many?
I think Proverbs 17:5 tells us how…
If I am a true believer, if I truly believe that Jesus Christ is the One and Only Way and that those who truly love Him obey Him, then what I just learned from Orlando is that in one moment 50 souls that were created in the image of God Himself, 50 souls that Jesus died on the cross to save, just possibly perished into a Christ-less eternity.
This should break my heart.
This should cause me to look to my own community, my own neighbors, my own family and see if I have loved enough. Have I shone His light in the darkness of the world around me in my city? Have I been about His business or have I chosen to snarl my nose and be repulsed or just flat out afraid of those that don’t fit in my box of approval?
The state of our nation need not cause me to grow hard and angry, but instead ever more soft and pliable in the refining fire of the Lord. This should be, so that I might become even more useful in His hands, to reach this lost and dying world for His glory. I don’t want to be this cold, unfeeling, bitter soul that finds the “I told you so” more satisfying than the grace and mercy of God.
If Jesus could be on the cross and cry out “Father forgive them, they know not what they do…” then who are we to mock or hate anyone. If Paul could be stoned and whipped time after time and still keep coming back for more, then by all means so shouldn’t we who today believe? If they loved people this much because God so loved people this much… shouldn’t we?
Those that perished in Orlando have names. They have families. They have stories. They had hopes, dreams, and plans for their future…
I can’t help but be saddened at what happened in Orlando. I can’t help but be angry… but when I bring my anger to the Lord He reminds me of who I truly should direct it toward. I am not to be angry with man. I am to be angry at the one who put it in the heart of man to do such an evil thing. I am to be angry that so many are so easily blinded and swayed to do his bidding.
During supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray Him…
John 13:2
Who is this one, this devil, that has the ability to put thoughts and intentions in our hearts? He is that very same serpent of old…
He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
John 8:44
I am angry at this evil one who has someone managed to fill our nation with such frustration and weakness and fear. I am angry because we, as a whole, are so distraught and distracted that we don’t understand that the reason why we are frustrated, weak, and afraid is because we have forgotten our God. We have forgotten our Maker. We have forgotten His word.
By smooth words he will turn to godlessness those who act wickedly toward the covenant, but the people who know their God will display strength and take action.
Daniel 11:32
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I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.
1 John 2:14
Knowing our God is what gives us strength. Knowing our God is what gives us courage. Having His word abiding in us is what keeps us sure and steadfast and able to respond in and with love. Jesus said the world would know that we are His by our love. Love is sure. Love is strong. Love is courageous. Oh, and beloved let us never forget that love is kind. Love is all these things because love knows and walks according to God’s commands.
And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments.
2 John 1:6
Let us who profess to know Christ never forget who we are really fighting and why we fight. Let us not forget who we ALL are apart from Christ. Let us never forget that we have been called to Christ to call others to Him. Let us never forget that we are the one’s who have the access to the throne of God and are the chosen. We are to be His priests and to declare His excellencies and intercede on the behalf of those who know Him, and those who know Him not, yet desperately need to.
Let Orlando drive us to our knees. When anger rises up in our throat let it not cause us to sin, but let it cause us to cry out to our Holy God.
But we prayed to our God, and because of them we set up a guard against them day and night.
Thus in Judah it was said,
“The strength of the burden bearers is failing,
Yet there is much rubbish;
And we ourselves are unable
To rebuild the wall.”
Our enemies said, “They will not know or see until we come among them, kill them and put a stop to the work.” When the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times, “They will come up against us from every place where you may turn,” then I stationed men in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, the exposed places, and I stationed the people in families with their swords, spears and bows. When I saw their fear, I rose and spoke to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people: “Do not be afraid of them; remember the Lord who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives and your houses.”
When our enemies heard that it was known to us, and that God had frustrated their plan, then all of us returned to the wall, each one to his work.
Nehemiah 4:9-15
The enemy of our souls wants to put fear in us so that we stop our work… don’t let him. The fields are white for harvest but the workers are indeed few.