Looking for Answers

As the world knows by now, our nation has suffered yet another tragic shooting at an elementary school.  And the world is looking for answers. We have questions. Why did this happen?  What type of person does something like this?  Could anything have been done to prevent it from happening?  Can we do anything to prevent it from happening again?  Where is God?  Why does God let stuff like this happen?  The questions just keep on coming…..

We try to find answers.  We turn to school officials.  We turn to the police and other law enforcement officials. We turn to gun laws.   We turn to psychologist.  We turn to anyone and everyone who might have an answer.  To most people the questions and the answers are difficult to deal with and understand.   I am not sure that I have a firm grasp of the answers and I’m sure that I don’t even know all the questions, but let me give it my best effort.

Over the past four decades there has been an organized effort in our culture to eliminate God from the fabric of our nation.  When I was a child I can remember having a morning prayer everyday in our Public School.  We had prayers before PTA meetings and before school assemblies and sporting events.  Prayers were led by students, teachers and administrators.  Ministers, Pastors and Rabbis were invited into our schools on a regular basis to talk with students or present a message from God’s word.  Christmas was Christmas and the Christ story was central to any play or concert.  It was a different time. 

Now God is all but gone from our schools.  He is all but gone from our courthouses, city halls, State and Federal buildings.   God is made fun of in our entertainment.  Those who believe in God are mocked and pushed aside as a radical. 

During this 40 year span of time as we have slowly pushed God out of our culture we have also devalued life.  The majority of our nation does not think twice about killing an unborn child.  More and more of our society believes it is a good idea to euthanize anyone who may no longer have “quality” of life.

In short, God has been evicted from our hearts and our homes.

But when tragedy strikes the people call out the name of God and the name of Jesus and we as a nation want God to “fix” everything and everyone.  We have the nerve to ask God where he was during all of this and why in His name do you let this happen.    My friends, God does not dwell in hearts or homes where he is not welcome.   No one wants to live near a Fire House, but everyone wants the Fireman to come quickly when there is a fire. 

Darkness is the absence of light.  The Light of the World has been asked to leave our schools, leave our communities, and leave our states and our nation’s capital.  Well, the Light is gone and nothing remains, but darkness and evil lurks at every corner.  Evil is seeking a way into our schools, communities, state houses and capital buildings.  Evil only has one objective and that is death. 

Evil is the answer to the question, “Why did this happen?”  Jesus is the answer to the question, “what can we do about it?”  In a world of darkness there is only one answer – Light!  Jesus is the Light of the World.  I suggest we let him back into our culture.  It will take some time to turn the light on, but it can be done.  It must be done.  One heart, one home and one community at a time. 

So to the Nation I say,

“Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face, And the things of earth will grow strangely dim In the light of His glory and grace.”   - Helen H. Lemmel

Love God.  Go Love Others.