Yesterday, evil in the form of two bombs interrupted the annual running of the Boston Marathon. Three died, including an 8 year old boy. Many others were injured, some losing limbs.
Why do horror stories like this happen?
What causes people to carry out such atrocities?
Experts in every field will offer various explanations.
It’s the Bible that gives the real answer.
Sin.
Sin is the problem in the world.
Before the flood, mankind was in the full grip of sin. Sin had taken humanity to its lowest place. Moses described the situation: “The Lord saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time” (Genesis 6:5).
The world today is traveling toward that same destination. Sin is leading the way.
The bombing in Boston was an act of rebellion against God. It was built on the foundation of sin, carried out under the control of sin, and resulted in the consequence of sin.
What is the answer? Is there a solution? Can these atrocities be stopped?
Yes.
Jesus is the answer. He is the solution. He will end these atrocities.
- Through His death, He frees sinners from the penalty of sin.
- Through His resurrected life, He frees those spiritually dead from the power of sin.
- Through His return He will free the world from the presence of sin.
- All things will be made right.
Until then, these acts of rebellion will carry forward. Horror stories will continue to dominate the news.
Even so, sin is not the main story line in this world. God’s work through Jesus Christ to save people from their sins is.
We participate in that story. God uses us to tell others of His love and kindness. God uses us to rescue people from the control of sin.
The world needs Jesus. The world needs us. Let’s enter the fray.
Dodging a driver pulling into me causes
my car to go into a 180 degree spin on I-25 today!
While I was returning from a physical exam at Sandoval
Regional Medical Center, in Rio Rancho, going back toward
Albuquerque on I-25 South, suddenly a car to my right
starts pulling their vehicle into the front of the right side
of my vehicle on their left.
To avoid them from colliding into my car, I pull
my car to the left. Then amazingly, my car goes into
a counter clockwise spin. Then even more amazing,
instead of my car zooming over the east embankment,
it also starts sliding in the opposite direction to the west.
It slides across three or four lanes to the west. Then as my car is now facing directly into oncoming traffic, a white car,
is just about to crash into the front of my car.. Fortunatley, they swerve to my left missing me by (inches?)
Both our cars are now parked on the west side parking area.
The white car is in front of mine. After I can relax, I
walk over to their car. A young woman gets out.
I say something to her like, “He (God) is surely a
Great Protector.”
She says, “Praise the Lord!”
And I immediately reply back, “Praise the Lord!”
After she makes sure I’m ok, she happily drives away.
This all happened I think around 10:30 or 11 am (MDT).
I then head to Smith’s grocery store to get some
milk and Life cereal. When I enter in, Smith’s host says,
“How are you doing.”
I immediately tell her about how God protected my
car after spinning on I-25 just a short while ago.
All the while I’m praising God, His Son Jesus,
His Spirit, and the angel or angels that God must
have had on duty to stop my car from being
smashed into pieces and me from having to
go into a hospital or into a grave..
If you were praying for me early this morning, all
I can say is thanks, for God surely heard
your prayers, and answered them.
I’m still thanking God and His Son Jesus as
I’m typing this letter.
Ron
Hey Ron, praise the Lord indeed. Glad you are safe.
Agreed,Bob!
Jesus told us we (his followers) would be hated as He was and suffer as He did. I do believe Jesus will end the atrocities when He returns. Until then, sometimes my heart despairs it will get WAY worse until then.
So how do I live until then? Do I hide in my house and beg and pray for Jesus to come quickly?! (Which I do pray, by the way!) No, I go out in the world with HOPE knowing that as I and other believers go into “the fray” as you say, that we will touch those who are hurting and not knowing they can be free of the enemy and sin that plagues their minds to do these horrible things.
I feel certain that the “first responders” in Boston(not just the professional responders)that were there as bystanders who rushed to help our fellow man, would not trade the experience of the horrors for knowing they helped and comforted a child of God.
I hate “pat” answers to the evil in this world, but certainly, just as in 9/11, good will prevail (Rom. 8:28)and hearts will be changed by the kindness of our fellow man…especially for some of those folks who responded, that may not have believed, come to believe, in this extreme circumstance.
Hmmm. I just had a “moment” where I realize that I don’t have to pray, “Marantha” at the world’s evil while cowering and wish I didn’t have to deal with it, but “Lord, how would you have me respond to help those who are hurting?” Not just the victims of sin, but, “How can I reach those who might be the (future or past) perpetrators?!” (Which by the way, I am one of the perpetrators even if on a much lesser degree since, even as a believer, I live in this body in which sin resides.) Perhaps, it starts with how I treat those closest to me right now (which is not always as nice as I treat “strangers.” Ouch. Eye opening. Just being real.
Blessings,
Suzanna
All I can say is it is terrible, the selfishness of others that will destroy others to get what? Extremists, claiming God, like 9/11 and other astrocities. And it could be anyone of us caught up in the middle of something like this.
Itis like the world is back at the time of Noah except there are many believers here today as the sand as promised Abraham by Faith we are the believers counted righteous by God and God through our belief carrys out God’s righteousness through us.
I remember John 16:33 in not to fear for Christ has overcome this world and so have we the ones that beleive.
Are we ready to go to extremes and not fight carnally and trust as Stephan did in Acts,he did not carnally fight. Are we mature enough to say to the evil to its face okay then but I love you anyway? Of coarse though if we could stop it from happeniing in action that would be a little differant if I saw a person planting a bomb hurting another. There are times and places for everything, and a purpose that never shows during the tragedy. It is difficult to trust in the midst of, but I thinki this is what we are to learn and do whatever we are led to do
Hopefully the rest of the lost sheep get into the fold soon and then mess come to an end
Do people who “do sin”,do it because they are trying to be righteous but “miss the mark”?
When Will Evil End?
Evil in this current world will only end when Jesus Christ returns as KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. Rev. 19:16.
What do we do till then? Endure, endure, endure. But thanks to Christ in us, we don’t have to endure by ourselves, but by His Spirit within us who gives us God’s power,love, and a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7b.
Jesus Will Keep Us Until the End
(Philippians 1:6) Being confident of this very
thing, that he (God within us by His Holy
Spirit) which hath begun a good work in you will per-
form it until the day of Jesus Christ. (God will keep
working his good works in and through us until His
Son Jesus returns in his glory to earth again).
(1 Thess. 5) (23) And the very God of peace sanctify
you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul
and body be preserved blameless unto the coming
of our Lord Jesus Christ. (24) Faithful is he (faithful is
God) that calleth you, who also will do it. (God will do
what he has promised in his word to do for us).
(2 Timothy 1) (12). . . for I know whom I have
believed, and am persuaded that he (Jesus) is able
to keep that which I have committed unto him against
that day. (13) Hold fast. . . in faith and love which
is in Christ Jesus. (14) That good thing which was
committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which
dwelleth in us.
(Jude 1:24) Now unto him (unto God and his Son
for they are one. (Read John 10:30, I and my Father
are one.) that is able to keep you from falling, and
to present your faultless before the presence of his
glory with exceeding joy, (25) To the only wise God
our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and
power, both now and ever. Amen.
(2 Peter 1) (10). . . brethren, give diligence to make
your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things,
ye shall never fall: (11) For so an entrance shall be
ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting
kingdom of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ.
So, let us, until that day, when our Lord Jesus
Christ returns, keep looking unto Jesus, who is the
author and finisher of our faith.
(Hebrews 12:2) Looking unto Jesus the author
and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that that was
set before him endured the cross. . . .
(Titus 2) (13) Looking for that blessed hope, and
the glorious appearing of the great God and our Sav-
iour Jesus Christ; (14) Who gave himself for us, that
he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto
himself a peculiar people (a special people), zealous
of good works.