Saturday, August 7, 2010

Sorrow in a Small Town or a Celebration?

The kids and I have been blessed to be "home" with family, but within the last week, my little hometown has had it's share of sorrow. I don't know why it seems that tragedy always strikes here 'in threes', but more often than not, it does. Car accidents, heart attacks, a prison sentence, a combination of events that forever change the hearts and lives of so many. Such sadness surrounding the details, if other choices would've been made perhaps some of it could've been prevented. I'm not in the least thinking with a judgemental heart! As a matter of fact, when things like this happen, I generally fall on my face and thank God for the MANY times He spared me, those instances that I'm aware of, and those that I'm certain I didn't see.
Perhaps the convicting part of this is coming to the realization that most of us don't live with a daily eternal focus. Most days we don't think twice about rushing to kiss our spouse and kids on the way out, or getting behind the wheel of a car. We don't typically wake up and ponder, "Will this be the last time I will see my son or daughter face to face? Will this be the last time I will kiss my husband or wife goodbye?" It's almost as if we either believe we are invincible, that it won't happen to me, or we don't want to believe that it could.
The truth is that God has a purpose and a plan in all things, (even what Satan means for evil) and I know this because not only does He promise it throughout His Word, He has proved it over and over again in my own life. I know that as a child of the King I don't have to fear these types of circumstancs happening in my own life. Please don't misunderstand, I'm not exempt from tragedy! Only God knows how and when He will call me home, but because of my personal relationship with Jesus Christ, Heaven is where I am headed. Heaven is Home. God can and will use the tragedy around us to cause us to examine our own lives. He will help us to see our heart, our actions and our words through His lenses, and cause us to repent and return to His perspective - an eternal perspective.
My prayer is that in and through the tragedies each of us, family members, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and acquaintances will greatly consider our own lives. Consider your relationship, or lack of, with Jesus. Consider what those left behind will remember about you. Consider the impact that you're making for the cause of Christ. Consider what will happen when you stand face to face with God.
When it comes time for Jesus to call me home, I pray that you won't find sorrow in a small town, but rather a CELEBRATION of the forgiveness, mercy, grace, goodness and faithfulness of God!