Longing and Peace

"AGAINST ITS WILL EVERYTHING ON EARTH WAS SUBJECTED TO GOD'S CURSE. ALL CREATION ANTICIPATES THE DAY WHEN IT WILL JOIN GOD'S CHILDREN IN GLORIOUS FREEDOM FROM DEATH AND DECAY."  Romans 8:20-21

I feel this today and every day since last Friday. Anticipation, longing, desperation for the day that God will come back and take us from this pain. The challenge I'm fighting is to not give in to living by fear. What I'm reminded of by this terrible shooting is that my fear is an indication of misplaced trust and a false feeling that I have any real control over anything. I trust my children's school, just as those at Newtown did. I trust my church just as those in the temple shooting in Wisconsin did. I trust when I go to the mall that we will be safe, just as those in the mall in Oregon did. What a wake-up call that I'm trusting in the wrong things.

"Peace I leave you, My peace I give to you; NOT AS THE WORLD GIVES do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." John 14:27

What a gift. Did you catch it? Peace that is NOT as the world gives. Praise God because lately, the world has been giving very little peace. My heart doesn't have to be afraid. I get my peace from Him.

Creator, I believe that you made this world good and that humanity's choice to sin has corrupted that perfection. Sometimes I hate living in this world of suffering and brokenness. I long for the day when you break the curse and set everything right. Come, Lord Jesus!  - Nancy Guthrie