Sarah D. Shearer

The phrase “thoughts and prayers aren’t enough” keep rolling around in my head like angry little marbles. I’ve read phrases like “we need more policies” and “this isn’t about religion.” I’ve read phrases that say God has been “taken out of public schools” and “this kind of thing didn’t use to happen. ”

I open my Bible, looking to an ancient book for a today word.

I see this, written by Paul, thousands of years ago as though he was standing in our midst.

“But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” Since we have that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

2 Corinthians 4:7-18 NIV

It seems to me he is acquainted with death, with persecution, with murder, with sin. It seems it is not a new thing to him or to us. He told us over and over the letter of the law will never bring life, only life though Jesus will bring restoration and hope. Since day one , we have been looking for laws to fix us, to corral us, to make us right with God, and since the early days, since the first scriptures were penned, we have been exhorted: this world is full of trouble, but the only hope is knowing Jesus.

You say, why would a loving God allow this to happen over and over?

I respond, because a loving God has given us the opportunity to choose him, and so often we do not choose him.

You say, we need more laws.

I respond, perhaps, but laws have never made men good, or have I missed some great moral cleansing that transpired because of laws which order us not to kill, to steal, to commit adultery…

You say, this is deeper than religion. It’s about humanity and being good.

I respond, why is it important to be good? An animal does not feel the need to be good? Why as humanity are we so deeply affected by cruelty, by murder? What is it within us that cries out for justice, that longs to be made right?

You say, this happened because we took prayer out of schools.

I respond, is God so light, so moveable, that he can be “taken out ” like a bag of garbage?

Is he not moving and pursuing us always?

We always want to point outward, but sin is the issue, and the solution is a Person, not a policy.

As we weep with those who weep, we must remember the fight we are in, and must remember Who Wins.

As it creeps closer and closer into our backyard, we cannot be passive about our faith. We must hold fast to Paul’s words and take heart. We must love our families, we must take care of the orphan, for they are so often the perpetrators. We are not powerless. Evil did not make its appearance in 2016 or 17 or yesterday. We must not be overcome. This is Christianity. We are the light of the world, not the quivering dim flicker of the world.