“Pregnant woman clings to window ledge to escape…”

“Two flights diverted after bomb threats…”

“Russia: Bomb took down jet”

“Bomb blast kills dozens in Nigerian city of Yola”

Gosh, thats enough to make you just wanna crawl up in the corner in a ball and not ever leave your house, right?

As I have been reading and listening and watching the news lately, my heart aches. As I hear stories from friends of the trouble in their lives, I am just so sad. In my own life, there is pain and sadness and grief.

People around the world fleeing their country and their home because it is no longer safe – Did you catch that: their own home is no longer safe! People hanging out of windows to escape being killed by angry men with guns. Friends with illnesses, family members with illnesses and sickness. Death taking the lives of those around us.

If I spend too much time dwelling on the reality of this world and the evil walking our streets, I could just about lose it.

I was just a kid when 9-11 happened. Yes, the images flashing on the screen of the second tower falling are still vivid, but the reality of it didn’t quite sink into my innocent little mind. Death was (and sometimes still is) so foreign to me. Today, those realities hit a little closer to home and the understanding of them is greater than was before.

In the midst of all this pain and grief, it could leave a person hopeless. It can leave us asking, “why?” and “What is good left on this earth?”

~~~

In my own life, pain and hurt has not evaded me. It is apart of my everyday life. Relationships straining for peace. Sickness touching the lives of myself, my friends, and my family. Money troubles causing anxiety. And just the weight of this world…Even just a few weeks back, I was feeling pretty hopeless.

Eric, Jackson, and I all had gotten Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease; I found out some devastating news in one of my relationships and I was trying very hard to figure out what to do and how to move forward in what felt like a broken, shattered relationship; I was isolated for what felt like weeks (had to stay away from people with HFMD so I/we didn’t spread it); once I was over HFMD, I got a cold; Money is always an interesting thing; It was almost too much to bear.

How in the world will any of this get better? It seemed too big. It seemed too great for me to handle.

The truth: It is, and it was.

Life was not meant to live alone and it wasn’t meant to live with our own strength.

We were created to live in relationship. And not just in relationship with friends, family, our spouses and kids, etc (though, these relationships are very important).

We were created to live in relationship with God – the God who controls all things and is all-powerful.

My pastor recently did a series on the Sermon on the Mount that Jesus preached. Jesus preached about the blessings that come to people if they are X, Y, and Z for they will receive/inherit/etc. A, B, and C.

The points were:

– Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:3)
– Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted (5:4)
– Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth (5:5)
– Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied (5:6)
– Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy (5:7)
– Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God (5:8)
– Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God (5:9)
– Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (5:10)
– Blessed are you when others rivile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad for your reward is in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (5:11-12)

I am pretty sure that covers pretty much everything: sickness, pain, difficult situations, difficult relationships, etc.

When I read this, I have hope. When I read this, I am confident that whatever situation I am in, God will provide and protect me. I am confident that he will bless me. Now, it may not be this side of heaven, but the blessing is promised.

So when I read the news or listen to a friend tell me of a sad and difficult situation she is in, or when I am in a difficult situation, I can have hope and trust that the God who delivered Moses and the Israelites from Pharaoh, Daniel from the lion’s den, and Joshua and the spies from the King of Jericho, will deliver me too!!

We serve a mighty and great God who is sovereign over all the earth. No king or ruler or dictator has power over Him (read Proverbs 21:1). He has the power to raise the dead and make the blind see. He has the power to bring peace to the raging sea and can cause the floods to recede. Not only does he control the seen, but he controls the unseen.

To end with the sweet reminder: “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous man runs to it and is safe” (Proverbs 18:10).