As I'm sitting here, reflecting over the past week, my heart is heavy and filled with disbelief and horror at the events that occurred in Paris. Innocent lives were taken, families broken over the loss of their loved ones, and hearts shattered as news of the tragedy reached around the world.
It is in truly in these dark moments that our God shines through. I'm not usually one to write about big issues in the news, but this was just something I could not stop myself from learning more about. The ISIS attacks in France were to instill fear in the people, but conversely, it united nations to come together to #prayforparis.
After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the Le Monde headline, a newspaper publisher, read, "We are all Americans." Today, we are all Parisians, standing together and keeping the light of Paris burning in recognition and memorial of all those whose lives were lost. In Genesis 50:20, Joseph boldly declared, "You intended to harm me, but the Lord intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives." It is in this passage that hope will generate in the hearts of all those affected and involved in this traumatic event. God's faithfulness will bring beauty out of the darkest of ashes.
It is equally important to be mindful of God's ultimate providence in all events and to not let the fear of the enemy prevent us from living out His plan in our lives; for God did not give us a spirit of fear, but one of power, love and self-discipline. Psalm 34:18 describes God's nature as being close to the brokenhearted and saving those whose spirits are crushed, so we ask that God would comfort the families and loved ones of the victims of Paris in order that they may know and experience God's peace in the midst of trouble.
Additionally, it is in this somber time that the goodness of God is forgotten, so let us not forget that the Lord is trustworthy, dependable and personal. He acknowledges all our griefs, understands the unspeakable prayers, and feels every ounce of pain. As the city of Paris continues to grieve, let them seek hunger for His presence and run towards Him, for He is their refuge in times of grief.
Waves of human compassion have flooded from across the world to let Parisians know that there is still a light of hope. The irony of ISIS is that it seeks to percolate fear amongst Christians, but the attacks of Paris have instead united the nations toward praying for hope and restoration. As the lights of the Eiffel Tower went out, the rest of the world illuminated the colors of the Parisian flag, symbolizing the communitive stance that they are to not grieve alone.
