Shootings. Terrorists. Police brutality. Racism. All things that have been flooding our news casts in the recent times. Many different views are broadcast on each of these tragic subjects -- what is right and what is wrong, what we should do and what we shouldn’t do. The uncertain and fearful future is fast approaching. Our time here is short -- something we, all too often, forget.
When I watched the video of Alton Sterling’s son breaking down on a news report, my heart broke. Flutters of fear, worry, and sorrow slipped into my mind. When this happens, my only saving grace is putting my hope and trust into the hands of our Heavenly Father. I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t do this enough; frequently, I try to handle everything on my own. Not realizing or recognizing my own desperate need for our perfect Father who can, not only handle my burdens and so much more, but can make good of them. When I don’t recognize my need for Him and do things my way, I always end up in a mess. I can only imagine a world where everyone recognized their need for God, and put their lives in His hand.
There’s one simple fact that Christians and non-Christians forget or ignore repeatedly: their need for God. Our Heavenly Father is the one thing that is constant, no matter your race, socioeconomic status, occupation, or beliefs about recent events. Your advancement in your walk with Christ isn’t the matter here- it’s the realization that you need God. And not in the “I need God when things are going wrong and I’ll ignore Him when things are going OK,” way, but needing Him in every aspect of our life. He knitted us together in our mother’s womb, he knows our every thought and the amount of hair on our heads; needless to say, he knows what is best for us. Our sinful nature helps us to wonder from His presence, into our own darkness. We can’t do life on our own, for we fumble over our own foolishness and abuse our free will.
These terrible recent events make me wish all the more that Jesus would come save us soon and let us so graciously have our great reward, of praising our Father forevermore. My hope and trust is because He works all things for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28), and because anything is possible with God (Matthew 19:26).
My prayer is that we all as individuals will recognize and act on our need for God, and maybe, just maybe, things will get better. Through all of this, I am reminded of one of my favorite hymns: “Come Thou Fount.” If you aren’t familiar with the lyrics, it goes:
“Come thou fount of every blessing
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace
Streams of mercy never ceasing
Call for songs of loudest praise
Teach me some melodious sonnet
Sung by faming tongues above
Praise the Mount I’m fixed upon it
Mount of Thy redeeming love
Here I raise my Ebenezer
Hither by Thy great help I come
And I hope by Thy good please
Safely to arrive at home
Jesus, sought me when a stranger
Wandering from the fold of God
He, to rescue me from danger
Interposed His precious blood
Ode to grace, how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be
And let Thy goodness like a fetter
Bind my wandering heart to Thee
Prone to wonder, Lord, I feel it
Prone to leave the God I love
Here’s my heart, Lord, take and seal it
Seal it for Thy courts above”
Normally, I wouldn’t include a whole song’s lyrics in an article. But these lyrics express my thoughts so perfectly, and I am quite sure that I could not put them in any better words. All in all, I am sure of two things: When Jesus comes back, or takes me home, I want to spend eternity with the God of mercy, justice, and love itself, and I can’t get there or anywhere in life without Him. With that said, I think the most important thing to remember in light of recent events, is that we desperately need God.
