Thought for the month
A DESCENT INTO BARBARITY
The world shattering events of Tuesday 11th September will be etched on our minds for a very long time. In 30 minutes,
all the hope of the dawning of a new millennium was replaced by fear on a global scale. Press reports described it
variously as ' The day that changed the world', 'This is Armageddon', 'It looks like Hollywood but this is real', 'A
beautiful autumn morning turned into hell' to mention a few. In response, world leaders desperately tried to calm our
fears and restore a sense of normality, but this was not easy for so many aspects of life were affected. The scale of
the tragedy, especially in human lives and trauma for relatives, is hard to take in. No wonder the French President
said 'The world is afraid'. The stark truth is that, despite recent incredible technological advances and moves towards
world peace, things are not getting better.
IS GOD ASLEEP?
We ordinary people who routinely go about our daily business sometimes puzzle over what is really going on behind the
scenes. Sooner or later we wonder about God. The idea of God being in charge of today's world can seem more like a
joke if we cherish the idea that He is supposed to be loving and kind. How could an all powerful, loving God who cares
for His creatures ever tolerate such injustice to innocent people? If He is there at all we feel like blaming Him for
not stopping it. Or we can soon come to the view that He doesn't exist.
WE NEED ANSWERS
Questions like this have been on the minds of people ever since time began. Did they have answers? More importantly,
where do we find answers that are not simply guesswork? Many people trust the Bible. It claims to have some answers
from God Himself and, particularly at times like this, Christians think these are helpful.
ARE SOME SIMPLY IN THE WRONG PLACE AT THE WRONG TIME?
One idea expressed in a paraphrased Bible reads 'Good luck and bad luck happen to everyone'. Christians and non-Christians
perished in the horror of that Tuesday. God allows the world to take its own course, for the most part. But this doesn't
mean He has abandoned us or even that He is not there. On the contrary, there is one very simple step to seeing what He
has really done and how close He is to each one of us.
THERE IS SOME GOOD NEWS
God offers everyone something that gives each person accepting it all they need for this life and the life to come. It
doesn't actually matter whether we think God was asleep or feel we need answers or we find ourselves in the wrong place
at the wrong time. Without entering into a relationship with God, there is no hope, no comfort and no peace. We can
do this by acknowledging individually that Jesus died on our behalf. We tell God in prayer we are sorry for all the
wrongs we have done, whether these are the wrongs of a terrorist or simply of good people having shut God out of their
lives. Once we have responded by faith to the offer from Jesus, we receive the assurance of God's forgiveness and peace
in our lives.
Here are some Bible quotes in support of these facts. Please read them with an open mind. These could bring you to
knowledge of God's compassion, care and love, but are you willing to respond?
WHY DO WE NEED HELP?
Rom 3:23 all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, HOW DO WE GET HELP?
Rom 10:9 if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
Acts 10:43 whoever believes in Him (Jesus) will receive remission of sins.
GODS LOVE FOR THE WORLD
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. NOBODY ELSE CAN HELP
John 14:6 Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. HOPE FOR THE FUTURE
John 8:12 I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.
John 11:25 He who believes in me will live, even though he dies
John Kerr
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