Keeping my head in the sand during the evening news...

Sometimes when I hear horrible TV news or read a disturbing headline I will either turn the TV channel or head for the front page of the sports section of the Post. Why? For me, it can be emotionally exhausting following in detail some of the horrors taking place around the world. This scenario played out Monday when news of the Amish school shootings permeated the media. My heart was saddened for the Amish people and I prayed for them as I read the headlines and not the details. And so I was able to move on and dwell on happier things for the duration of the week...

...Until our staff met yesterday to review Jason's message for this Sunday. We are in the second week of a series investigating the book of Habbakuk and this Sunday's message deals with the latter part of Chapter 1 and is titled, "Does God make mistakes?". It's amazing how timely this series is shaping up to be. Habakkuk writes in chapter 1,

2 How long, O LORD, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, "Violence!" but you do not save? 3 Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds. 4 Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted.

And so as we discussed this passage, I was forced to take a closer look at what happened Monday in Pennsylvania. And my heart grieves for those people and yet amazed at their ability to forgive and embrace. And I know God is going to fulfill His promise in Romans 8:28 in the midst of this calamity.