Faithfulness in Darnkess

So today we were going to start a new series, but we will do that next week, and with this crowd today I have decided to call an audible and do something different. In the light of events we had this past week, and the week or so previously to it, there are a lot of questions and uncertainties when it comes to the evil we see in this world and the goodness and sovereignty of God.

On Tuesday, May 24th at 11:32am in Uvalde, Texas. 18 year old Salvador Ramos walked into Robb elementary school and killed 19 children and 2 teachers, 21 in total. He was killed in a standoff with the border patrol and local police. Bringing the massacre to 22 people killed. 10 days or so before that another 18 year old in Buffalo walked into a grocery store called topps in a predominantly black neighborhood and with racial hatred killed 10 people 9 of which were black. This across the board has dominated newsfeeds, tiktok scrolls, instagram posts, hashtags, websites and you would have to not be plugged in at all to miss these events.

As you know me I am not afraid to speak about such tragedies and I wouldn't be doing my job if i didn't speak about these evil acts with you because i know some of you if not all of you have had questions about how the goodness of God, the mercy of God, the justice and righteousness of God, why would he allow such things to happen? This however is not going to be a political talk, i will not be speaking of legislation or gun control or whatever it is that the government wants people to focus on and be divided by. But today I may not be able to answer all things, but I am going to try to speak to this tragedy and how as Jesus follower we can move forward.

1: I cannot explain why this happened. Sure we can say it was due to a mentally ill individuals who were deranged, violent without father figures in their life and hatred in their heart. But that doesn't explain way why someone would do something so evil, so vile and so un-human. There are no words to explain it. Evil is evil and thats all that you can say for there is no other explanation.

2: It is moment like this, moments of darkness that we realize we need the light. It is moment where we see satan at work in this world that we realize we need to run towards the goodness of God. That though evil may rear its ugly head, the people of God unite to combat it not to fight against each other. We realize we need each other if we are ever going to be light to this world.

3: I am a father of 4, and my oldest Lilly will be in second grade next year which means as I look at here, parents and families have lost kids this week her age and her grade. With all the life laid before her, I couldn't imagine the the pain and loss they are going through. In fact on tuesday night I was up late reading on this just trying to wrap my head around it and I still cant. Pictures of the killed started popping up and it got to me. So Lilly was asleep and in bed and I went and laid down with her, hugging her a little tighter, and praying over her thanking God that she is here with me.

4: It is times of crisis that even though we want to run to our thoughts about God we need to run to the truth that we know about God. That is only found in the scriptures. There is a book in the bible called Lamentations, i don't know if you have read it before, but every book of the bible is inspired and written by God through people who were inspired by the Holy Spirit. And every book gives us insight about God and it says this in Lamentations 3:20-24 - I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. 21 Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope 22 Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed for his compassions never fail. 23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.”

We will remember the tragedies that happen and we can and should pray, donate and care for thsoe who are apart of them because we never know if we will be apart of them one day and we will need people who care, pray and donate to us. My soul is downcast which means full of sorrow, and questions and confusion, but listen it is downcast it is not defeated. As Jesus followers we are not defeated in this world because know the battle the war is already won, it might look dark in these days, and that is exactly what the bible tells us this in matthew 24:6-13 “6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth pains.9 “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. 10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.

I wish I had time to unpack all of that, but do not think that the increase of wickedness and evil means the absence of God. It just means everything is going exactly as God planned. The Israelites were enslaved for 400 years before he released the plagues on egypt. The Canaanites in the promised land had sinned against God for another 400 years before his justice, righteousness and wrath fell on them through the hands of the israelites. From Adam to noah God patiently allowed sin to increase for 1600 years before he brought the flood. It means this, God is slow to be angry, but that does not mean he isnt swift in his justice or wrath.

My heart is downcast, yet I call this to mind and therefore have hope. If you know the truth of God you can have sorrow, but you cannot lose hope. You can cling to his goodness even in times of quesitons, even through you dont know all the answers, you know the one who will answer all things in time. because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.”

The Lords great love and compassion never fails, we know through scripture he mourns with those who mourn and he brings comfort to those in need. Scripture does not say he brings answers, he brings comfort. Why doesn't he bring answers to all tragedies? I believe it is because even if he were to give us the answers we wouldn't believe him. Oftentimes in hurt and pain it is not words people need, it is presence. Isn't it interesting that those who have been affected will often lean into God and into Jesus and his faithfulness and presences and trust in him. and those who have not been affected will often shout God down and ask where is your Jesus, just like the crowd who watched Jesus hang on the cross asked the same thing. “Aren't you the messiah, save yourself come down from that cross.”

Every day God gives us new mercy and new faithfulness, meaning every day is a new day to chose him and to thank him that we allows us to live and even if through actions of others, myself or nature I am called back to him, his faithfulness remains. We can have faithfulness in God because even in the dark, the light wins, where the devil smiles God will smite, where evil brings confusion, faith brings comfort, where there is great opposition there is great opportunity for God’s church you and I to stand firm in an evil world and bring light to darkness.

I will say this do not think that justice will not be served. It will be served on this side of eternity or the other. This gunman on this instance was killed for his actions, but he was also judged before God and he has been given the penalty for his actions. But also know this, no one even this man would have not been able to be forgiven by Jesus. There is no evidence that he was a Jesus follower, but even if he was, or lived the ordeal and become one later he too would have been in eternity with you and I but not before facing Jesus for his actions here on earth.

So where do we go from here? In the times of pain, hurt, grieving, mourning, wait on the lord. Wait on his faithfulness, wait on his promises, wait on his mercy, and on his grace and wait on Jesus. Cast your cares upon him for his is faithful and will never turn away from his promises.

Be filled with the light not the darkness. Be rooted in the word of God not the news of culture or man. Know this from one person to the next, what is publicized in the world isn't what's common. There is more good than bad, more light than darkness in this world, but the devil will want you paralized in fear, because if he can paralyze you in fear you will not be rooted in faithfulness to Jesus.

Lastly, comfort those who need it. People will want answers, they will question God, they will question you. And listen, I question God, God why in the world would you allow this, why do these keep happening, why does evil persist in this world, why why why…but I don't get many answers, I just know his promises. That at some point here on earth where he makes a new heaven and a new earth renewing it a purging sin, or when I die and be in his presence there will be a day where we, I am separated from sin and in the faithfulness and perfection of God.

So I will read it again and leave it here for you, I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. 21 Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope 22 Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed for his compassions never fail. 23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.”