God Was There

Surely God experienced a tragedy on April 15^th, in Boston. It wasn’t just us, it wasn’t just people. I don’t normally think this hard about God in these situations – I don’t wonder where He was. We are sinful and the best comparison I have for this type of situation is this:

Have you as a parent, or as someone who knows a parent, ever witnessed a child (grown or not) do something against your wishes? Mine do it, all of them time. I did things that hurt my parents, that were in direct disobedience to my parents, and that were reckless. In fact, everybody I know has disobeyed his or her parents. Their parents couldn’t stop it; it was their own choice to do the wrong thing. Correction usually came after the disobedience, but the disobedience itself wasn’t stopped.

Now, I don’t want to make God sound powerless, because that is not at all my thought. In fact, God could stop this earth from spinning and squish the entire universe right this very instant. I cannot fathom, grasp or comprehend the very power of God. I wholeheartedly believe He is powerful beyond all human measurements.

He didn’t create puppets to worship Him in some mind numbing, repetitious daily ordeal. No, He created these awesome creative, inventive and unique people. Look at us; we are all so diverse and talented. I believe this diversity was given to us to make worship unique, to add some flavor to God’s “day.” Not that He needed us, but He wanted us.

In not wanting an array of wooden puppets, doing the same thing day in and day out, to make worship immensely dull, God gave us free will. We get to choose whether or not we serve and worship Him. When we don’t live for Him, and we don’t live from His grace, there is no limit to the wickedness that will grow in our hearts. I think this is like a number line; it goes infinitely in both directions.

When we live for God, from His grace, and in service and worship of/to Him, there is no limit to the kindness, gratitude, and grace that we will show (by His power in us). But when we don’t live for God, then people do unspeakable things.

What I do know is this, God loves us and He was there, in Boston. We saw Him when we saw the helpers acting in selfless ways to save others. Instead of running away and taking shelter against what could have been next, they were bandaging wounds, carrying out victims, holding hands, consoling and comforting. God was hurting for those that were hurt, because He loves them. God is hurting for those that lost a loved one, too. Remember that Son of His, Jesus? Because of God’s sacrifice, He knows what it’s like to lose someone deeply important to oneself.