Today my sister Cynthia was killed. Her ex-boyfriend had been tracking her and confronted her. He shot the shop-keep first then shot her as well.
Where is God when tragedy strikes?
He is there grieving. He HATES our sin and all the pain it causes. But He gave us free will in order that we might experience love... and Love always has to be a choice. I believe he couldn't destroy pain in the world without removing all the free-agents that cause it - all mankind...
Genesis 6:5-6 Amplified Bible (AMP)5 The Lord saw that the wickedness (depravity) of man was great on the earth, and that every imagination or intent of the thoughts of his heart were only evil continually. 6 The Lord regretted that He had made mankind on the earth, and He was [deeply] grieved in His heart.
John 11:32-37 Amplified Bible (AMP)32 When Mary came [to the place] where Jesus was and saw Him, she fell at His feet, saying to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 When Jesus saw her sobbing, and the Jews who had come with her also sobbing, He was deeply moved in spirit [to the point of anger at the sorrow caused by death] and was troubled, 34 and said, “Where have you laid him?” They said, “Lord, come and see.”35 Jesus wept. 36 So the Jews were saying, “See how He loved him [as a close friend]!” 37 But some of them said, “Could not this Man, who opened the blind man’s eyes, have kept this man from dying?”
2 Peter 3:8-9 New Living Translation (NLT)8 But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. 9 The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.
James 4:14-15 New Living Translation (NLT)14 How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. 15 What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.”
Ephesians 5:15-17 Amplified Bible (AMP)15 Therefore see that you walk carefully [living life with honor, purpose, and courage; shunning those who tolerate and enable evil], not as the unwise, but as wise [sensible, intelligent, discerning people], 16 making the very most of your time [on earth, recognizing and taking advantage of each opportunity and using it with wisdom and diligence], because the days are [filled with] evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish and thoughtless, but understand and firmly grasp what the will of the Lord is.
I will miss my sister for the rest of my life. She was a woman who lived to love and serve. Cynthia devoted herself to caring for others, first showing this amazing capacity by caring for our Grandma Laura after she'd suffered a stroke - and then making that into a profession.
Cynthia was quick to laugh, protective of her loves, and stronger than any of us... having endured hardships that would destroy others - she was strong and brave and ambitious and optimistic. Nobody is perfect, but truly it's the struggle that defines us, and shows who we really are in this life. Cynthia faced the struggle but kept fighting to seize each day.
I love you, my sister.
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