I will praise you in this storm

More times than not I'm unsure of myself. Today I found out what I am  sure of: I am sure this is a broken world.

The brokenness in today's society has never been more evident than in this past year.

I left my Denver YAV year 2 months early so I could start summer Hebrew at Union.

Early one Friday morning  I started to receive text messages from a number of friends back in Denver announcing  they were okay.

I had no idea what they were talking about !  Shortly I found out later what had happened.  I, too, had planned to attend that “Batman: The Dark Knight Rises” premier in Aurora. Had I not been in summer Hebrew I very well could have been one of those shot in the theater   My friend that was shot  while she was running for her life.

The only thought that went through my mind was:

 " I could have been there."

"Why was I spared?"

The brokenness of the world was evident.

In Newtown the brokenness was even more evident when we lost the most innocent of lives.

Now, yesterday, in Boston, more innocent lives have been taken.

How do I as a person preparing for the ministry begin to explain why today happened . How do I justify someone living while others die? How do I help an injured or broken person sustain the courage to recover ?  Where can I find those answers to questions no one should have to ever ask ?

I'd like to be able to explain it all away but I can't.  Vague platitudes don't work in situations like this. Life may not ever get back to normal for those who were hurt.

What I suggest is this:

Hug your family and let them know how much you care for them and love them

Never forget how precious life is or how fragile it is

Praise God every chance you get.

Psalm 27

1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of mylife; of whom shall I be afraid?

2When evildoers assail me to devour my flesh— my adversaries and foes— they shall stumble and fall.

3 Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war rise up against me, yet I will be confident.

4 One thing I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple.

5 For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will set me high on a rock

.6 Now my head is lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the Lord.

7 Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud, be gracious to me and answer me!

8"Come," my heart says, "seek his face!" Your face, Lord, do I seek.

9 Do not hide your face from me. Do not turn your servant away in anger, you who have been my help. Do not cast me off, do not forsake me, O God of my salvation!

10 If my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will take me up.

11 Teach me your way, O Lord, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies. 

12 Do not give me up to the will of my adversaries, for false witnesses have risen against me, and they are breathing out violence.

13 I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

14 Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!

This is a psalm of praise and lament. Through the process of praising and lamenting, we truly discern the Lord's will. Through reading this psalm I was able to  contemplate how closely related trust and need are. Only then could I , Can we as a Christina faith, fully understand the Lord's will and the assurance of help to come when you seek the Lord as your shelter and trust in him. Our enemies will come, have come, and will come again. We do not know when and we do not know where. What we do know is that we have to trust in the Lord. While we may not feel like this is a time for Praise we need to more give God praise more than ever.

We need to reaffirm our trust in God. We need to reaffirm our need for Him. It is times like these that we should pray without ceasing even if that prayer is angry . God can handle our anger. He can handle our frustrations. He can handle our pain.

 I leave you with this:

12Do not give me up to the will of my adversaries, for false witnesses have risen against me, and they are breathing out violence.13I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.14Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!