boston

Grace. It’s hard to say. Grace. It’s especially hard on days like today.

Two bombs. So many lives changed.

Jesus hurts. He hurts for the victims. He hurts for the assailants. 

My heart is heavy thinking about what happened and where the attackers have been. Where did they find their hearts? Where was their treasure? Where was their love? What dark places did evil take them to cause such pain and fear?

Jesus begs us to come to him. Whether we attack or are attacked, he pleads for us to come to him. 

Bullets and bombs, cruelty and hatred. 

Temptations and sin, fear and discouragement.

Satan takes us places where we cannot survive. His servants send us to anguish, while we think we go to our own paradise. And Jesus hurts. His pain of losing us is beyond his pain on the cross. 

bombs.

anger.

adultery.

thievery.

envy.

dunkeness.

lying.

strife.

These things drive us from Jesus. He calls us to him, to his

grace.

love.

authority.

Whatever acts of the flesh may threaten us, whichever ones we may act on, Jesus never stops desiring us. He wants us to come to his unfailing love.

So when two bombs explode, when guns are pointed at the innocent, when sin takes place where love should be - Jesus must be placed there. 

No bandages can fix what happened today. No surgeries or Presidential decisions will undo the sadness caused, however well-intended and temporarily helpful they may be. The only authority that will bring enduring restoration is Jesus. 

Do the surgeries. Let the highest human rule command for resolution today. 

But the only lasting resolution is by an enduring hand, by one already injured greater than all injuries besides it. 

Jesus begs us to follow him, to come to his grace. We inherit love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. 

We also inherit resurrection, his eternal presence. Where no bombs explode; where no joy ends. Therein will we proclaim “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.”

Until that day when eternity is our present, let us make this day where our eternity begins, and arise each new day and say, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.”

Battle against evil. Our weapon is prayer. 

Our King is here, evidenced by us, the church. Let us act with grace to those injured. Those who doubt, who hate, who hurt. Those with questions, those without parents. Those without provision, those with too much.

Live with our King as your present King. He is our help, he is the world’s help, so let us help the world.

Speak with grace. Speak with truth. Speak with the gentleness of our King and the power of his resurrection.

His life is eternal, where this day will be healed. 

Boston is not heaven, but let heaven be present there today and evermore. 

Jesus, act through us wherever we are, that your kingdom may be now.

Grace beats a bomb every time, whether we know it or not.

Our King is resurrected, as are his children who follow him.