Perspectives

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These past couple weeks, we've been hit extra hard with the news of so many tragedies.  Scott's father's best friend for forty years was killed in a car accident. Four young boys from one of the villages we work in drowned in the ocean. We were first responders to a tragic accident outside of town and had to transport a man to the hospital who had just lost his arm. On top of that, both of our boys had friends who were in the Nairobi mall during the terrorists attack. They survived without injuries, but the emotional impact has affected all of us.

As this news hit us over the span of a few short days, I was reminded of the simple fact that life is short. We are here for a time, then vanish in an instant. There aren't even any guarantees we will see tomorrow.  

God confirmed this to Isaiah when he said 'Shout that people are like the grass. Their beauty fades as quickly as the flowers in a field.The grass withers and the flowers fade beneath the breath of the Lord. And so it is with people. The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever.'

Through all of the tragedy, I have been reminded again why we are here. Paul made it very clear that we are fighting, not against those around us, but a spiritual battle. Against the rulers and authorities of the unseen world. Which was why he then goes on to write in Ephesians 6:14 that we need to put on every piece of God's armor so we can resist the enemy in the time of evil.

He calls each one of us to be in a relationship with Him. As fragile as life might be, He loves us. He has called us to be a light, to serve and to love those around us. And He will give us the strength we need for the task He gives us to complete.

A quote I recently read by Tullian Tchividjian sums it up well. "We don't need answers (to suffering) as much as we need God's presence in and through the suffering itself."