Tragedy and Our Attempts to Keep it From Us!

Tragedy. The word strikes us. It is not comfortable to hear, or see or live through. We all want to keep it far from us. We want to be able to say, "Well, it's sad that family lost a child in a school shooting-- but that can't happen to us... we homeschool," or "How sad that the Unitarian Church was shot up... but that can't happen to us... we go to a real church," or "What a sad thing that this child has cancer...but that can't happen to us... we__________."

We want to be able it make it the fault of those who suffer. If we can make it their fault... then we think... it cannot happen to us. We can breathe a sigh of relief because we are safe. Are we though?

Have you read the Book of Job? Job was a good man. Job had God's favor. Job, in fact, did nothing wrong. Yet... can we read that book and not see tragedy? I can't. I'm struck by the pain that Job must have gone through-- his children, his home, his living-- gone.

What of Job's friends? What did they want to do-- what did they seek him out for? To offer help...? No. To offer a job? No. To offer a shoulder to cry on? Nope. They came to find out what Job had done wrong.

If they could learn that... they could prevent a similar disaster happening to themselves. They were not pleased that Job had no answer for them. In fact, they couldn't even accept it.

I understand the desire to find a way to make it the sufferer's fault because then we are safe ... but New Life Church in Colorado Springs was the scene of a shooting, an Amish school was the scene of a shooting. What had these done to deserve this? It wasn't a "godless" public school or church...

I guess I simply do not want to be Job's friend anymore. I am guilty of having been so in the past. I'm not sure why I feel so convinced of my error. I'm also not sure that anyone else will understand. What I do know though... is that... as always... my faith and trust must be in the Lord. I must not think that I am safe from tragedy, or that I can keep myself safe from tragedy.
That is in His capable hands.

Be Blessed!

Grace