Can I Say That?

In October 1979, three talented and beautiful teenagers from my hometown's high school had their lives suddenly snuffed out by evil in the form of a man charged with drunk driving. Then, just as it was this week with the evil that transpired at a Texas elementary school, there was deep sorrow for the loss of innocent lives, many prayers for family and friends, much anger, lots of questions, and widespread cries that something must be done to prevent this from ever happening again. On that last point, ever since October 1979, good people have worked hard to improve state laws concerning driving while under the influence. Even so, evil on the highways, in every state, continues. Evil always seems to find another way. It was true following the Holocaust, and 9/11, and Oklahoma City, and Columbine, and so many more.

And the whole world asks, “Where is the hope? Where?!”

To be honest, when unspeakable horrors happen over and over, when innocent people die, my own natural, human reaction, even as a Believer, is to wonder, “O God, where are You in all of this?” My intellect and a faith deep down inside knows He hasn’t gone anywhere, that it has nothing to do with God’s inability, that it all has to do with God’s Love for us being our choice to accept or reject, and that the worst choice ever by man and woman was in the Garden of Eden by eating from the tree of good and evil. And that the world has paid the price ever since, and that the Word says that evil will grow exponentially in the last days, and that God is holding back the end of all things so that all have opportunity to be saved, and when that day finally happens, all this evil will end. Hallelujah.

I know all that. And I truly believe-help-my-unbelief all that. And I know God still has the whole world in His hands. And I know He understands the pain and senselessness of evil because He was there at Calvary when His Son was murdered. But in times like this, my human heart (and I don’t think I’m alone) can’t help but ask...

“Why, God? When does this madness all end? I don’t get it.”

Can I say that? I just did.

Because while there may be practical things (like stiffer laws) that can be done to hinder evil, there is no one earthly fix. Evil’s web is crazy and seems to have an endless, trickle-down thread. There is nowhere to go but Up. And yet in the midst of all that questioning and mystery, I also know that now is no time for Christ-ones to hide their Light and live in a “rather not deal with it” bubble. How, then, shall we Believers live? 

“But brother, you shouldn’t talk like that. Don’t question, just trust.” Well, brother, you apparently have not met these men…

“O Lord, how long will You forget me? Forever? How long will You look the other way?”

—King David, Psalm 13:1

“My God, my God, why have You abandoned Me?”

—Jesus Christ, son of God, Matthew 27:46

Trite Christianese answers or escapism help no one, and the Bible has our back. The Bible’s characters are raw and real. And yet even in the midst of honest questions, the Bible time and again also holds the only real rope of hope. Sometimes you know that from personal experience, and sometimes, like now, you need to remind yourself once more that it is so. Which is why in all faith and against all logic (what some would call foolishness), and amidst honest questions from another horrific moment of evil, that I am still choosing to swim upstream to the One who created all good and truly hates evil, sees all evil, understands it all, sorrows through it all, and has a master plan to end it all in His perfect timing. His promise-keeping is perfect and trustworthy, I know it full well...and He even “gets” my questions and doesn’t laugh.

Many are saying, though,“enough with those ‘thoughts and prayers’—do something.” Good point. Christ-ones should be among the first to be on board for doing all we can, as was the case following my hometown tragedy of October 1979, to better protect innocent lives from future senseless acts of evil. But by all means, God calls us—calls me—to also continue to stand in the gap for the helpless and the deeply grieving, to “weep with those who weep.” (Romans 12:15) I don't know about the "thoughts," but the prayers must continue. How many stories have you and I heard, or personally experienced, about someone really having no words to say to someone in the midst of tragedy but praying God’s peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7) — and it happens!? Up close or from a distance, our prayers have healing and comforting power beyond our comprehension.

When I step back and exhale in times like this, I know that I know that while improvements and fixes may indeed be worth the effort here below, there is ultimately only one, only One, who can and will one day overcome evil once and for all—for all who dare Believe, that glorious day when Jesus Christ returns to make a new heaven and a new earth, with a trumpet fanfare that seems to shout “Enough!” A day that is coming sooner than we can imagine…

“I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, 'Look, God’s home is now among His people! He will live with them, and they will be His people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.'”—Revelation 21:1-4, NLT

Hold onto that, O my soul. And until that day, on Christ the solid Rock I will stand (again), and pray, and will seek to carry Him with me, to one person at a time…even and especially during those times when “I don’t get it.” Yes, you can say that.