Grief

This photo caught my eye today.

Source

It is a photo from World Magazine, of Iraqi police officers grieving the loss of one of their company. Al-Qaeda forces have surged in that country, bringing evil and hate and violence.

So raw.

I think this photo shows God. These men are not sad because a blob of chemicals in the form of a living human died and turned into a blob of different chemicals. They are stricken with grief because they lost a friend and someone who was made in the image of GOD died (whether they believe it or not, their grief speaks for itself). We mourn the loss of human life because we know that we are more than mere animals. They are mourning evil and injustice in the world.

There are a million photos and moments like it. A spouse passes away unexpectedly. Dreams are dashed as a tiny baby goes from life to death inside of his mother. A family buries a daughter shot at school. A family says a long goodbye at the deathbed as cancer wins again. Thousands upon thousands of Christian martyrs are being ushered to Heaven right now in a huge rush of persecution.

It's too much.

Lately, I've been grieving all of this sadness. It's just been on my heart. This world is so broken. Is it really fixable? Has it really been conquered? 

My doubt isn't really real. It's more a cry of my heart for Christ to come quickly and finish fixing this mess. I do have faith in Christ's work and that so much more is going on that what is seen by my tired eyes. I know, deep down, that He is accomplishing His work and making His kingdom and glory known.

"Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see." - Hebrews 11:1

I'm just holding onto that verse and praying, praying for all the sadness to be healed.

It makes me want to do something. I don't know what to do, really. Just pray and let the hurt sting a bit in an attempt to grieve along with humanity for our loss of Eden in our own sins. Be humble, ready to confess my own wrongdoing, pass on a sense of justice to my little ones, be slow to complain. We are open to doing something bigger, but for now we want to be faithful in the everyday.

My sister-in-law gifted us with a worship album from her church. I just keep playing this song over and over:

Lord, Come Quickly

Lord, come quickly 

Come and rescue 

Come and rescue us 

Out of the darkness 

For we have seen You 

 And we know You 

 You are the only Son 

Of the Father 

 Come dwell with us 

 Live among us 

 We are thirsty 

For Your living water 

Lord, come quickly 

Come deliver 

Come deliver us out of our bondage

Lord, come quickly 

Send Your Spirit 

Send Your Spirit to bring us revival

(You can buy the song on iTunes, just search Pacific Crossroads Church)

I guess that's it, friends. I just wanted to write some of my feelings down and share this today. I hope that you will pray with me that we will be delivered out of the darkness and that the Comforter will be near to all who mourn.