How do we respond to the tragedy of Newtown?

O How Long O Lord - how do we respond to the tragedy of Newtown?

This is an expanded version of what I said to the church on Sunday 16^th December.

A World of Suffering

Suffering: it is an emotive and complex reality, shrouded in mystery.  Perhaps a full explanation is never possible?  To various degrees all of us have experience of it.  We will have specific questions about our own lives and more objective, abstract questions about why God might allow suffering.  We have questions about the suffering caused by people (from the playground bully, to the violent partner, to the war-torn country, to the gun-wielding fanatic) and suffering caused in nature (earthquakes and tornadoes and collapsing bridges).

The recent news of the murder of 26 innocent lives in Newtown, USA will have brought all this to the surface for many of us.  It brings it to the surface for me with three boys of almost identical age as those murdered and memories of 1998-1999 when I was living just north of Columbine when similar horrors happened.  

The Bible: a book anchored in dark realities

The Bible is unashamed to see and address the darkest, most complex, most horrifying areas of life – the Newport’s and the Twin Towers and the Boxing Day Tsunamis.  It never ‘whistles in the dark’ to give false hope, nor ‘wears rose tinted glasses’ to try to hide the dark stains in the world, nor ‘turns a blind eye’ to horror or wrong.  These are human taints the Bible is free of.  The Bible means God has not left us alone to speculate about suffering but has spoken clearly about it.  I have found four helpful guides the Bible gives us.  

When something is horrifying, show and feel horror.

This is a horrific event.  We must allow others to see our upset, pain, anger, frustration, confusion and distress.  Paul tells us in Romans to ‘mourn with those who mourn’.  On hearing the news of his good friend Lazarus’ death we are told 'Jesus wept' – in upset and anger (John 11).  It is right and proper that events like this cause us a deep pain.  Realise before words people need embrace and the companionship of another.

Admit that there is great mystery.

As we talk with friends, or our children admit there is deep mystery - that ‘why’ questions may never get clarity.  Our finite minds and limited horizons magnify that mystery.  It is very important that as we talk to people we do not claim we have answers that are simply not available. 

Point toward certainties in God

There may not be all the answer for our ‘why’ questions but there are deeply satisfying certainties in ‘who’ God is.  Certainties that are intellectually credible and emotionally satisfying.  Certainties that bring hope even in the darkest horrors.  Certainties that we can confidently offer to people.

Certainties such as that God is all-loving.

God is rich and abounding in love (Ps. 145:8; Numbers 14:18); a love that is eternal love (1Kings 10:9), a great love (Ne 13:22), an unfailing love (Ps. 13:5).  God is good and his love endures forever (2Ch. 7:3 & x26 in Ps. 136).    His love is ever before me (Ps. 26:3) as a love better than life (Ps 63:3).  The earth is filled with his love (Ps 119:64).

Our suffering is not a denial of God’s love.  Suffering is not the hurtful action of a cruel God.  His love means he promises ‘never to leave us nor forsake us’ (Hebrews 13:5).  And ultimately Jesus’ death will alleviate all our suffering (Revelation 21:4). 

Certainties such as God is all-powerful

With God nothing is too hard  (Jer 32:17), nothing is impossible (Luke 1:37).  and all things are possible (Mt 19:26).  God does whatever he pleases (Ps 115:3).

Our suffering is not a denial of God’s sovereignty.  Suffering is not the failure of a weak God unable to prevent it.  Though he is sovereign behind good in ways different from how he is sovereign behind suffering, neither is beyond his dominance.  God boundaries the parameters of wickedness (Job 1:8-12) and ultimately it is ‘the Lord who gave and the Lord who takes away’ (Job 1:21). 

We should feel the mystery and pain of this.  It might not immediately seem like a comfortable truth but it is a comforting one.  That behind suffering is not a cruel God or a weak God or no God or a distracted God - that would have no comfort and much fear.  It is not that God can not stop a bullet or an earthquake or heal a disease or allow a conception.  A million times a day he does.  But when he doesn't we can know that he remains loving and he remains sovereign.  His reasons may be mysteries to us but they are wise.  

Certainties such as God is all-wise

His wisdom is profound, his power vast (Job 9:4).  To God belong wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are his (Job 12:13).  God is the Lord Almighty, wonderful in counsel and magnificent in wisdom (Isaiah 28:29).

Our suffering is not a denial of God’s wisdom.  Suffering is not the outcome of a God who made mistakes, in our life or in the world he created and rules.

 

Finally, remember the true Christmas message not of gifts and cards and turkeys but Emmanuel, God with us.

We are familiar with many of the nativity characters – angels and shepherds and Mary and Joseph and the donkey.  But one character is often forgotten.  In Matthew 2 he makes up a major portion of the story.  King Herod.  He is sinister and evil and dark.  Filled with hatred and fired by jealousy and unable to identify precisely who Jesus is he sets about the systematic slaughter of all boys under the age of 2.  Recent events make it easier to imagine the horror of that moment 2000 years ago; a moment so similar to Newport.  Human nature has not changed.  The world is still as it was – broken, filled with evil and wickedness.  And desperately in need of a Saviour now as it was then.

Peter encourages us to be ready to give a ‘reason for the hope that we have’.  Hope we can offer even in the midst of the most horrific of events.  The world needs a Saviour, and God loves us so much that in Jesus he has come as that Saviour.