It's almost more than we can bear.
The scenes and stories in the news media. The gutwrenching posts and images from friends on Facebook. The texts and calls from people we love.
In a four-day period starting last Friday night, a tornado tore through a large section of the town where I live. Soon I was watching as people I knew were being interviewed on TV standing in front of massive destruction in the homes behind them. One man died when his mobile home landed on top of him. He was the father-in-law of a long-time friend.
Monday brought the horrible tragedy at Covenant School in Nashville where 3 children and 3 adults were murdered by a mentally ill person who held a longstanding grudge. The lives and sense of well-being and peace for ALL of the children and staff members were forever changed. The families of the victims are crushed and in shock.
Monday as I was driving home from some errands, I drove by Flint Creek on Highway 31 and saw several dozen law enforcement vehicles and a dive team at work. A robbery had occurred in Decatur which led to a high-speed chase in which the fleeing suspects lost control of their car and landed in the creek. One swam to safety and was arrested. The other is presumed drowned while divers continue to search for his body.
Tuesday night TV shows were pre-empted to cover the shooting of two police officers and a civilian in Huntsville. One officer died a few hours later. The other is in critical condition.
A former student of mine who is now a grandmother proudly posted photos of her beautiful new granddaughter on Facebook last Friday, and we all rejoiced with her. Three days later that beautiful baby died without warning leaving a devastated family.
It's overwhelming.
We have so many unanswered questions.
We want to know when all of this will stop. We wonder what we can do to make things better.
We weep with those who weep.
I had a pastor years ago who often quoted the verse in Romans 12:15 -- "Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep." Today I looked at the whole section of Scripture, and I believe it contains some important keys.
Romans 12:15-18 -- "Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all."
If I (if WE) would follow the admonitions and instructions in this passage, this world WOULD be a different place. Who's with me?
And above all, we must pray and call on God to comfort the hurting and change hearts.
Psalm 145:18 -- "The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth."