Wednesday, July 6, 2022

“Now God saw that the earth had become corrupt and was filled with violence.” (Genesis 6:11, New Living Translation)

                 Not a pleasant text for a beautiful summer’s day in July. But rather than frolic in the sunshine with birds and butterflies, in light of more deadly shootings, I am more inclined to hunker down in my big blue recliner chair and let the world go by. I might die by eating too many crispy pork rinds, my current comfort food, but it is a dang site safer than walking in city streets; even in Canada, if you watch the Toronto news at all.

                The world seems to have become full of angry, violent, gun-obsessed, evil people – all male, all young, all anti-social. I do not understand what drives them to the levels of random violence they commit. Sadly, sometimes, it is racially motivated or gender specific. But more often, it just seems that these violent young men want to kill for the sake of killing. And we need to ask ourselves how the world has created an environment that, perhaps, has fostered, encouraged and sustained these levels of anger, hatred and violence.

                How it must grieve God as to what we are doing to ourselves. It may only be a few misguided and deranged few, but their violence affects us all, even if we live far away from the horrific sights and sounds of death.

                It is beyond me why our politicians can’t simply ban the sale and possession of assault rifles – period. I grew up with hunting rifles in the house but we were taught to respect and be extra cautious in handling them. It certainly never crossed my mind to take one of the guns and go on a shooting rampage. Different times. Who really needs an assault rifle; their only purpose is to kill humans? 

                God must weep at the human proclivity to use violence to solve our problems and take our hatred out on others. Does God ever consider reneging on his promise to never destroy every living creature as he did after the Genesis  Flood? Remember what instigated the flood: humankind’s violence. “So God said to Noah, ‘I have decided to destroy all living creatures, for they have filled the earth with violence. Yes, I will wipe them all out along with the earth!’” (Genesis 6:13, NLT)

                Big blue recliner chair – here I come! I can’t swim!

                But let’s take a different tack.

                “My God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety. He is my refuge, my savior, the one who saves me from violence.” (2 Samuel 22:3, NLT)

                God is no defender of violence. No advocate. No supporter of weapons of mass murder. In the words of Jesus, those who live by the sword die by the sword (Matthew 26; 52), or assault rifles in most cases of mass violence.

                Rather, God is depicted scripturally, as the one who hates violence (Psalm 11:5) “I have seen violence done to the helpless, and I have heard the groans of the poor. Now I will rise up to rescue them, as they have longed for me to do.” (Psalm 12:5, NLT)  God seeks to end violence and its chaos. “He will redeem them from oppression and violence, for their lives are precious to him.” (Psalm 72:14, NLT)

When God is given room to work his Love and Mercy, “Violence will disappear from your land; the desolation and destruction of war will end. Salvation will surround you like city walls, and praise will be on the lips of all who enter there.” (Isaiah 60: 18, NLT)

The scriptures are not naïve about the reality of violence. “You make vows and break them; you kill and steal and commit adultery. There is violence everywhere— one murder after another.”  (Hosea 4:2, NLT) God has un up-hill battle as Evil is still a prevailing force in our world and humankind is not particularly reliable in respecting God’s abhorrence of violence.

“How long, O Lord, must I call for help? But you do not listen! ‘Violence is everywhere!’ I cry, but you do not come to save.” (Habakkuk 1:2, NLT)

But God has come and given us a recipe for peace and non-violence, a message of Love, an embodiment of Peace, a personal interjection of Hope and Shalom. Jesus reminds us everyday that there are better answers to all our problems besides violence. Jesus Christ offers light in the face of destruction. “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” (John 14:27, NLT)

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33, NLT)

It is almost enough to get me to rise out of my big, blue recliner chair and seize the summer.

 

Dale