Hope In A Dark Time

   We stayed glued to the TV all day, my wife and I, as the events of Newtown were reported for the world to see. All kinds of descriptive words were used and we added our own to the mix. As we watched we saw the fear and pain and like others, I'm sure, we wondered  what that must have felt like for those parents, little innocent children shot and sent to an early grave. And I wondered about the phrase that was used, that "evil visited this community today". It seems that evil as a power, still has some credulity as a force that seeks to destroy life.

   I thought about the Cain and Abel story in Genesis, about Cain being warned about sin crouching like a predator waiting to devour. And Cain gave in and Abel lay lifeless. Cain was held accountable. He could have stopped. It suits us well, when we cannot comprehend what happened in places like Newtown to say, "evil visited" us today. That crouching evil exists still and when we see the events played out like that it suits us well to call it "evil". And we have not, for all of our understanding of human nature and mental illness, been able to stem the tide and our fear is that it is getting worse, in frequency and in numbers. Evil it is. We will find out a great deal more of Adam from Newtown in the days to come. We will listen to politicians discuss gun control 'til they're blue in the face as though controlling guns will control the crouching sin and mental health. I am convinced we cannot give up, but it is by no means a new issue. The biblical story tells us that what we saw and heard visit the city of Newtown, that this "evil" has been "visiting" us since the beginning of time and does so all over the world.

  Christmas is coming. It is just as important to hold up the hope of the season as it is to name that evil that is in the world seeking to destroy it. Merry Christmas!! It is our hope.

New International Version (©1984)   John 16:33
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."