Pastor's Corner - May 27th, 2022

This past week saw another senseless tragedy unfold in the town of Uvalde, Texas, in which 19 children and two adults lost their lives in the 27th school shooting in the United States so far in 2022. That took place only 10 days after a racially-motivated shooting at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York, in which 10 people were killed. That incident was one of 200 other mass shooting events in the United States this year.

Most of the time, these events happen far away. Someone else, somewhere else... but today, we had a close call locally in Salem. I received notification that our kids were locked down at North High and Parrish Middle due to an armed suspect in a ski mask brandishing a Glock pistol with an extended magazine on/near the school's grounds. A couple of quick texts to the kids later - it was revealed that they were barricaded in their classrooms, as the police established a perimeter and cleared the school room to room to ensure the shooter was not in the building. 

Thankfully - nothing came of the situation aside from a couple of tense hours and a few more gray hairs... but both of my boys are home safe this afternoon. From what I can gather, the suspect was not apprehended, which is disconcerting, but they're home safe. 

For the families in Uvalde this week, 19 families received the most horrific news a parent can receive... that their child isn't coming home. Hug your babies tight... you just never know. 

It didn't take long for the debate on what we do about it to heat back up - some have advocated further restriction of gun sales, some want to restrict gun ownership, others encourage arming teachers, securing schools and classrooms, all the while being unable to tackle the real issue.

Jeremiah 17:9.

The heart of man is desperately wicked. The NIV translates the passage as, "... and is beyond cure." The heart of man is wicked... who can know it?

Mankind has a heart issue... and when you combine that heart issue with the systematic removal of God from society, a lack of accountability and consequences for aggressive and violent behavior, increased anger, vitriol and out-of-control behaviors and an overall societal devaluation on the value of human life... these are the effects. 

There isn't an elected official that will fix it, there isn't a specific law that will be put in place to fix it - it will only be truly fixed when the events described in Ezekiel 36:26 take place. It's possible that some of these ideas may reduce the death toll, or perhaps the severity of the incidents, but until God places a new heart and new spirit into His creation, until He enters into that covenant with the whole of mankind, not just the few that He has called at this time... until the knowledge of God covers the Earth as the waters cover the sea, and Satan is put away/destroyed, we will continue to see these evil acts take place.

It's hard to watch these things happen, your heart just aches when you see the pain and the suffering caused by the wickedness of man, but it is times like these in which the prayer, "Thy Kingdom Come" hits just that much harder. 

Let's all thank God for the calling He has given us, for the opportunity that we have to have His Spirit and circumcise our hearts, let us live as the example - one of love, kindness and gentleness putting away anger, malice, bitterness and let us all pray even more earnestly for the coming of His Kingdom.

Have a wonderful Sabbath!

With Love,
Ben