The front cover of New York's Daily
News could not be clearer: "God
Isn't Fixing This".
"As latest batch of innocent
Americans are left lying in pools of blood, cowards who could truly end gun
scourge continue to hide behind meaningless platitudes," the cover reads.
“House Speaker Paul Ryan and GOP
presidential hopefuls Rand Paul, Ted Cruz, Jeb Bush and Lindsey Graham all
responded to yesterday’s San Bernardino mass shooting with "prayers"
for the victims.
Are some using this this tragedy as
another opportunity for political grandstanding? No doubt some who support gun control will do
so – as will some who oppose it.
The response from many was swift and
scathing against those who publically called for prayer.
But what should be the initial
response of God’s people to any difficulty, any trial, any tragedy?
As I work on Sunday’ sermon from
Isaiah 7, I find there an answer. Judah
and King Ahaz faced immediate danger from enemies who threatened them. The situation was dire. King Ahaz’s response was to build up his
country’s defenses in preparation for a siege, and to seek political and
military alliances with other nations.
All this he did instead of
turning to the Lord and trusting Him. Ahaz wanted to solve his problems his own way. A spiritual response seemed useless to him.
Isaiah’s word to Ahaz is a word to
God’s people for all times and all circumstances: “Be careful, be quiet, do not
fear, and do not let your heart be faint……..” (Is 7:4). “If you are not firm in faith, you will not
be firm at all.” (Is 7:9)
In the face of repeated tragedies
like mass shootings are there laws that need to be examined and changed? Some would say yes and some would say no. Is the root of our country’s problems found
in the laws of our land? Certainly
not. Ours is a heart problem. And only in Christ do we find the answer for
our heart issues.
Only in Christ – Immanuel - God With
Us, will we ultimately find our answers.
He is with us. He is for us.
We seek him and hear from Him through
prayer.
Are their other things to do besides
praying? Yes. Is there any thing more important or more
pressing than praying? No.
Prayer is our first and best
response.
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