[:en]THE SHEPHERD’S CORNER
It seems it was just yesterday that we heard about the shocking news of mass school shooting. <!--more-- In Florida three months ago 17 lost their lives; in Texas the day before yesterday 10 lives were taken. In Florida it was perpetrated by a former student, who was expelled from school; in Texas it was done by a student, still enrolled! Two incidents, two different locations, two individuals, but one thing in common: both young men are loners! They keep to themselves.
In his book, Hearing God, Dallas Willard writes, “There is so much loneliness around us . . . . Where do they all come from? There is a simple, correct answer to this question: the lonely people live apart from God . . . . Their many experiences of alienation are rooted in their alienation from God.” We don’t know the spiritual status of the shooter in Florida but about the one in Texas this much we know: he claimed to be an atheist! He doesn’t believe in God at all.
I am not naïve; I am fully aware of the fact that we, Christians, believers in God, can experience loneliness as well and that we are as capable as others to commit heinous crimes that stem from our sense of alienation. But, we can honestly say that when and if we are near with God, we will not commit such evil. It is when we run away from Him or erect a barrier against Him, will we be prone to it.
Psalm 16:11 says, “You make known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand.” Even in our darkest hour and in our loneliest moment, if we live in the presence of God, we’ll know that we’re not alone. We know that He is with us; we know there is path of life out there, and that He will guide us to it. And, we know that at the end of the path of life, there is going to be joy and eternal pleasures.
Pastor Paul[:id]THE SHEPHERD’S CORNER
It seems it was just yesterday that we heard about the shocking news of mass school shooting. In Florida three months ago 17 lost their lives; in Texas the day before yesterday 10 lives were taken. In Florida it was perpetrated by a former student, who was expelled from school; in Texas it was done by a student, still enrolled! Two incidents, two different locations, two individuals, but one thing in common: both young men are loners! They keep to themselves.
In his book, Hearing God, Dallas Willard writes, “There is so much loneliness around us . . . . Where do they all come from? There is a simple, correct answer to this question: the lonely people live apart from God . . . . Their many experiences of alienation are rooted in their alienation from God.” We don’t know the spiritual status of the shooter in Florida but about the one in Texas this much we know: he claimed to be an atheist! He doesn’t believe in God at all.
I am not naïve; I am fully aware of the fact that we, Christians, believers in God, can experience loneliness as well and that we are as capable as others to commit heinous crimes that stem from our sense of alienation. But, we can honestly say that when and if we are near with God, we will not commit such evil. It is when we run away from Him or erect a barrier against Him, will we be prone to it.
Psalm 16:11 says, “You make known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand.” Even in our darkest hour and in our loneliest moment, if we live in the presence of God, we’ll know that we’re not alone. We know that He is with us; we know there is path of life out there, and that He will guide us to it. And, we know that at the end of the path of life, there is going to be joy and eternal pleasures.
Pastor Paul[:]