Tuesday's Thoughts

My heart is saddened this morning.  For some unknown reason, I decided to watch the news and check out the top stories on Hawaii News Now.  It's SO depressing.  Tragedy happens everywhere, and it happens often.  My heart goes out to the Hot Shot Firefighters; I'm deeply saddened by the death of the 23 year old hiker from Kapolei, and I tear up thinking of the 13 year-old step brother who killed his 5 year old sister by trying wrestling moves on her.  I can't watch anymore.  Ignorance truly is bliss is the case of tragedy.  

Thankfully, our God is the God of redemption and comfort.  He is our shelter in time of need; our refuge and sanctuary; our HOPE.  I feel so incredibly blessed by God.  My personality, however, has the default setting of guilt.  When others around me struggle, how can I be happy and enjoy what I've been blessed with?  I tend to mourn with those who mourn and rejoice with those who rejoice.  The problem these days with social media is that you could mourn all day and night for your entire life with people and there would still be mourning left to do.  I think I'm going to stay away from the news for now.  I don't want to be informed.

I used to view blessings as ME doing something right, as if I were being rewarded for my good behavior.  But what about those people who follow God their entire life and still have to endure trials and hardships that are unmatched.  Is God punishing them for their behavior?  I don't think so.  The rain falls on the just and the unjust.  It's a really hard pill to swallow.

44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.  Matthew 5:44-45

I feel so incredibly blessed that it's almost like tragedy is waiting for me.  I can't keep up this streak.  I pray that it isn't the case.  If it is, however, I want to be so rooted in Christ that all I can see in the midst of hardship is his face.

This is what the Lord says:

“Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh    and whose heart turns away from the Lord. 

That person will be like a bush in the wastelands;  they will not see prosperity when it comes. 

They will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives.

But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,    whose confidence is in him. 

They will be like a tree planted by the water    that sends out its roots by the stream. 

It does not fear when heat comes;  its leaves are always green.  It has no worries in a year of drought  and never fails to bear fruit. 

 The heart is deceitful above all things    and beyond cure, who can understand it?"   Jeremiah 17:5-9 

I'm confident that the heat will come; the drought will come; the rain will come, and the sun will rise.  My hope is in the LORD; my joy is in the LORD; my strength is in the LORD.

Do you not know?    Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,    the Creator of the ends of the earth. 

He will not grow tired or weary,    and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary    and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary,    and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord    will renew their strength. 

They will soar on wings like eagles;    they will run and not grow weary,    they will walk and not be faint.  Isaiah 40:28-31