It's okay to ask why.

For the last six days, the United States has been reeling with grief after the slaughter of twenty precious children and six adults, many of whom died as heroes.

I've shed many tears this week and asked many questions of the Lord about why things like this happen.  I have been reminded of how much Christ loves children and how He is also grieving over the callousness and brokenness of this world in which we live.  In Matthew 19:14, Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."  God loved every single child and every victim of the shooting in Connecticut last week. 

December 15 was the five-year anniversary of the death of a sweet friend of mine.  Remembering Gatlin and still hurting over the decision that he made to end his own life while watching the world weep over the loss of twenty first-graders made this week a time of both grief and further understanding of the Lord's faithfulness.

Job 1:21

The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.

Psalm 62:5

Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him.

Psalm 27:13

I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord.

As long as we live in a broken world, there will be death.  There will be grief.  There will be great sorrow.  These are the unfortunate consequences of being broken people surrounded by our own sin.  But there is hope. 

The love of God is bigger than tragedy, bigger than grief, bigger than terror.  His love conquers death.  He holds victory over the enemy.  He extends grace to the broken.  He comforts the hurting.  He gives rest to the weary.

The love of our God is bigger than the shooting in Connecticut.  The love of our God is bigger than the destitution and poverty in Africa.  The love of our God is bigger than the brokenness of this world.  And because He is bigger, there is hope.

He is faithful.