#crucified

“How is faith to endure, O God, when you allow all this scraping and tearing on us? You have allowed rivers of blood to flow, mountains of suffering to pile up, sobs to become humanity's song--all without lifting a finger that we could see. You have allowed bonds of love beyond number to be painfully snapped. If you have not abandoned us, explain yourself. We strain to hear.

But instead of hearing an answer we catch sight of God himself scraped and torn. Through our tears we see the tears of God.”

-Nicholas Wolterstorff, Lament For A Son

My first question was: Where was God? Why does Heaven allow such warriors to be taken while cowards keep breathing? But then I remember-Jesus was hated. Jesus was mocked. Jesus was killed. And the world thought it had won.

John 11:25

"I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die."

The shooter acted in sin. Free will chose the trigger. Just as free will chose the nails. And still-Death was never the end. It was the doorway. Because Charlie's race is finished, but his crown is not stolen. He steps into the kingdom prepared for him since before the foundation of the world. And us? We are left with the weight of choice. Will we answer hate with hate? Retaliation with retaliation? Revenge with revenge? No. Our response must be prayer. Our response must be forgiveness. Our response must be to keep preaching Christ louder than bullets.

Matthew 22:32

"He is not the God of the dead, but of the living."