God Is In the Schools

My heart is just as broken as everyone else's over the tragedy that took place in Newtown, Connecticut. However, I must address the charge from everyone that this is what happens when we take God out of the schools.

Fellow believers in Christ, I am talking to you.

We are the church.

We are the body of Christ.

 Bibles are allowed in school.

Praying at school is allowed if it is student led.

Faith based clubs are allowed to organize in public schools.

We can point fingers and hoot and holler that none of this would have happened if we didn't take God out of schools. As long as we keep showing up, God is in the school. And as long as God is sovereign, which, as far as I know,  has not changed, this still would have happened. He is not asleep at the wheel or standing on the front steps waiting to be buzzed in.

Nothing limits His ability to be present any place.Not school boards or government legislation.  I am 100% sure that God was in the midst of that tragedy, doing what He does. Bringing peace to the afflicted. Comforting those who mourn. Welcoming the least of these to the place we all long to be. And, hurting for the lost young man who did this.

Drawing lines in the sand and circling our Christian wagons, if you will pardon the overuse of metaphor, will not help anything. If we all huddle together, the only thing the world sees is our butts. This is the time to let our lights shine; the world needs hope in the face of such an unspeakable tragedy.

Now, when hearts are tender, is the time to point others toward the hope of Christ. No one can answer why God allowed such a horrid thing, but we can say with confidence that He is our Help and our Deliverer in times of trouble. He will somehow, even from this, create beauty from ashes. This is not a Christian do-gooder platitude. This is His promise to us.

This is also the time to remain firm and strong in your own faith. Do not fall into despair with the rest of the world. Do not mourn as unbelievers. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;  persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. (2 Cor. 4-8-9). We need to remember that God is the Redeemer of all things.

I will continue to sing and praise my God because He alone is completely unmovable .He is our shelter and our strong tower, our ever present help in time of need. Believing this doesn't diminish the scope of this tragedy, but it does help me look toward a better day. He will lead us out of this darkness.