Lipstick Makes Everything Better

Finding Hope in Disaster July 20, 2012

Before I turned on my Twitter feed this morning I read, “Arise, O LORD, do not let man prevail; Let the nations be judged before you. Put them in fear, O LORD; Let the nations know that they are but men. Selah.” Psalm 9:19-20

Upon reading this cry of the Psalmist I begged God to intervene in all lewd behavior awaiting DNC attendees in September I read about earlier this week in Creative Loafing. I hate the misuse of sex. Hate it. I’m trying to learn how I can be a better voice of advocacy for women and children who may be trapped in sexual misconduct. (Side note: I realize men need advocacy in this area too but I don’t feel called to minister to men when it comes to sex. I believe y’all need to hear from other men on it.)

But, I wasn’t ready for the Psalm, begging God to prevail over man and nation, to be so prophetic to what I saw when I hopped on Twitter. A man decides to walk into a screening of the Dark Knight and begin shooting people in Colorado. WHAT? How does it cross someone’s mind to begin killing people at random?

All week I’ve heard of tragedies. I’ve questioned them. Most of them are selfish and senseless tragedies. Innocent people will suffer from the outcomes much more than the enact-er. And I wonder, “What do I pray now? I can throw up a tweet, hashtag it #prayers, but does it matter? Does God hear any of it?”

I have to believe He does. I also have to believe evil runs rampant in this world and we’re all victims of it. Some of us invite evil into our worlds. Some of us don’t. All of us want better; we hope for more.

So where do we find hope in light of tragedy? 

I think that’s up to you. I think you’ve got to choose whether you’re going to believe there’s more in this world than what you see. You have to go outside and watch birds build nests. You’ve got to buy coffee for the person behind you in line. You’ve got to text your parents you love them. You’ve got to act the way you want the rest of the world to act.

And you’ve got to trust that eventually Revelation will happen. Eventually judgement will come. And eventually the God who hears all things, see all things, will make amends for all things. Judgement is real. Justice will come.

Arise, O LORD, do not let man prevail; Let the nations be judged before you.
Put them in fear, O LORD; Let the nations know that they are but men. Selah. Psalm 9:19-20