Let Our Response Be Love

It has been a sad couple of weeks and I guess it's time I share my thoughts.  Orlando is my home.  I grew up there, went to church on Orange Avenue and was married in the church that is just a few blocks from Pulse.  When we moved back to Orlando when my husband retired from the Air Force, we ended up going to a church that later moved into the same church that I had grown up in.  Although I live outside of Orlando now, it is still my home place. 

What happened early that Sunday morning is a tragedy.  Although I do not know anyone personally that was directly affected, my heart has grieved for the families that lost loved ones or have loved ones that were injured.  It seems that there are a lot of things on the internet and in the news looking to place the blame somewhere.  We know the man who did it and his allegiance to ISIS.  But there is a lot of blame being placed on guns, the people who previously investigated this man, the government, and some have tried to blame it on the victims themselves.  And what gets me is when  some say it is punishment or they try to preach their religious doctrine.  This is all distractions from the fact that an evil person did an evil thing.

What we need right now is love.  Not hate, not arguing the theological reasons.  We need to get to the basics that Jesus taught  - To love each other as He loves us.  The God I serve loves them.  If Jesus was here, He would not label them or separate himself from them.  He would meet with them, love them.  We should do what we can to help them during this time of loss and grief.  Jesus died on the cross for each and every one of them.  Let us not forget that that is how much he loves them AND how much he loves us.    

Let us mourn with those who have lost a dear family member or friend.  Let us help them carry this burden.  And to those that survived the carnage, we that weren't there cannot truly say we understand, but we can be there for them to lean on, to talk to, to cope with the drastic change that has happened in their lives.  We don't have to have the answers (especially when there is no answer), but to be there for them without judgment on who they are or how they are feeling.  There is no "right" way that each person should react and feel.  As we are all unique, so are our responses and actions when something horrible happens.  The only thing that I can say is the "right" thing for us to do is to love - love as God loves, without limitations, with pure love, love that would lay down your life for another.

I love the fact that the church just a few blocks from Pulse opened its door from the beginning for the first responders to come and find shelter or to get a brief respite from the scene.  The church provided food for them, a place of sanctuary and privacy, and prayer.  They have shown love to all those involved.  That is what the church should be.  That is truly being like Jesus, and most importantly like His heart. 

For  me, the answer as to why this took place is that we had an evil man do an evil thing.  If he hadn't used a gun, he could have used something else to accomplish his ends.  We can never completely create a safe place that nothing bad can happen.  Not saying that we don't try, but it is unrealistic to say that bad things will never happen.  What we can do is turn to the One who holds the future, who loves us and who carries us through these times when we cannot carry ourselves.

Let us keep our focus on God and rely on His strength.  Remember that each one effected by this tragedy is one of a kind.  The ones that were lost that day were unique and beautiful.  They can never be replaced.  Let's remember them and pray for the ones that they left behind as they deal with their loss.  And pray for all the workers, the police officers, fire fighters and all the other numerous people involved as they deal with what they saw. 

Again, let us remember God's amazing, unfathomable love.  For God so loved the world (that is each and every person that has lived, is living now, or will live), that He (God the Father) gave His only Son (Jesus), that whosoever (any person, not based on background, heritage, race, anything) believes in Him (Jesus) should not perish (not just physical death but spiritual death, separation from God, eternity in Hell) but have everlasting life (life with God, no sorrow, no more pain, no more death but fullness of joy and love in God's presence).  For God did not send his Son (Jesus) into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.  Jesus died because He loves you and me and wants to have relationship with those He loves.  The" might be saved" is that it is our choice to receive Jesus' sacrifice and to be with Him.

In my opinion, Jesus is not condemning the people.  When He met with the Samaritan woman, He told her the true way to God.  He did not condemn her because of her lifestyle and went on without talking to her.   He told her the truth about the only living God, God's love, and God's plan to save people.  There is no other way to God, no other religion that will get you to heaven.  It is only by the love of God and the sacrifice of Jesus.  So let's speak of God's love and His truth.  What would Jesus want - To LOVE them, wanting them to receive His gift of salvation, and for them to love Him back.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.   For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.  John 3:16-17

Walk By Faith?

We hear this statement a lot about walking by faith and not by sight.  It is a statement that is easy to say but the actual living it out is not so easy.  What does it really look like to walk by faith?  Is it looking like everything is okay?  Having a positive attitude about life?  Do others think that you have it all together?  The last few months have definitely been a walk in faith but it didn't look so pretty.  Several things happened so unexpectedly and were very hard to go through.  I spent  a lot of time questioning God as to why they happened, what were we supposed to do now, how was this all going to work now,  and so forth.  

I think we have a tendency to think that if we are walking by faith and unexpected things happen, that we are to be calm and have a positive outlook.  We are supposed to have the attitude that everything is still okay.  If we are to admit that we are unsure and hurting, we lack faith. 

We feel we  have to react in a "Christian" way and to answer anyone that asks with the clichés that God has it, It's okay, etc.  All though these statements are true, are we actually feeling these things or are we saying them because that is what is expected.   Is being outwardly calm actually true peace?  What if what is really expected is to be open, to be truthful, and to show that even though it is very, very hard, our love and faith in God is still there. 

The reality is that we are hurt, angry, upset, fearful  or any number of emotions.  Having emotions is not wrong.  It doesn't mean that we don't trust God.  It doesn't mean we don't have faith.  It is what we do with these emotions and feelings that reveal our faith walk.  Just because we question God, does not mean that we reject God.  What we can and should do is bring our questions to God because we know He has the answers. 

If we are not real with ourselves, with others and with God, people notice.  There can be the perception that we are just living in a lala land and out of touch with reality when we pretend that everything is okay.   And if we say we believe God, but are constantly worrying about the situation, are we really trusting God?

We need to be real with ourselves and with other Christians when things happen.  Telling them that you are struggling and hurting does not mean you don't have faith.  You are exercising your faith by continuing to believe that God is who He says He is.  Whether we see the situation completely or have all the answers or have no answers, the fact is that God is still God.  All of His promises are still true. 

I believe when we are truly honest with God and take all our questions to Him, that is when we can lay it all at His feet.  I think this is when we are truly walking in faith.  We take all our cares, problems, hurts and fears to God because we have faith that He is who He says He is.  We have faith that He is in control and can do anything.  When we recognize that He alone is sovereign and all powerful, that He loves us and that He cares, we can be at peace even in the midst of the most trying and hurtful times.  We may not get all or any of the answers, but we know that we are not alone.  Believing, even though everything in the natural says it doesn't make since, is walking by faith and not by sight.   

The most important thing once we lay things at Jesus' feet  is to not pick them back up.  We do this so often and so easily.  We say we have given it to God but then we think about it, try to figure it all out, worry about it, or  try to do it on our own.  This defeats the whole purpose of taking it to God in the first place.  I need to leave it in His hands.  He is the one that knows the future and has all the power.   I don't have to have all the answers.   When I follow Him, He will direct me and lead me in the way I should go.  I can then be at peace and know that the only thing I have to do is trust and obey God.

For me, one of the most striking examples of walking by faith is the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.  These men were threatened with being thrown into the fire if they did not worship the golden image.   We could learn a lot from their response.  They stated that whether God delivered them or not, they would not deny their God.  They knew God was able to protect them, but they were prepared that,  IF God did not deliver them, their answer would remain the same.  They knew that it meant their death, but it did not change their decision to follow their God.  Their faith was not based on their circumstances but on who God is.  When they were thrown into the fire, they did not know that the outcome would be that they would not be harmed and would come out of the fire not even smelling like smoke.  They just had faith and trusted God to take care of it however He saw fit. 

We like to think that God will deliver us from our troubles.  But what if He doesn't.  Is He still God?  Is He who He says He is?  Does that change my decision to believe and follow God?  To walk by faith is to believe who God is.  No matter what my experiences are, I can believe Him and trust Him.  I may get burned or I may not even smell like smoke.  Still, I choose God.  To have a perfect life with no troubles is nothing if I do not have God.  I would rather have God in my life and have troubles than to not have God in my life.  He is my friend, my father, my strength, my shield, my deliverer.  My faith is not in the outcome of my circumstances.  My faith is in the One who holds everything in His loving hands.  

Fear may come but perfect love drives out fear.  The only place to find perfect love is in God's love.  When I recognize my fear, I can take it to God.  I know that He will not reject me, he will not dismiss my fears and my feelings, He will not let me go.  He loves me.  He knows me.  He alone knows the future and when I look back on these things, I will see how they were turned to good even when I could not even imagine how that could ever be.

I still don't understand why God allowed these things to happen.  But it doesn't mean He was surprised by them.  He can take my questions and He can take my hurt and pain.  He knows how I feel.   To pretend otherwise is to lie and not treat my relationship with God as deserving of my complete candor and truth.   One important thing I have learned is that the good that God promises may not be in the circumstance but the good that He works in me.