Woods, Weeds and Words

Woods, Weeds and Words

There's a growing darkness abounding like deep shadowy woods sucking out the light of day leaving lifeless, dank dreams devouring common sense. Thistles and thorns planting other peoples' insidious ideas choking out truth and consuming reasonable thought. Enveloping today's youth causing brooding feelings to take root. Transplanting dastardly opinions formed into words meant to maim. Devious ideologies turn into deadly actions. The time has come to confront the demonic existence, break away if being overcome by it and pull out into the light.

Lately, I've become over-wrought by violence in the world. Man's inhumanity to man has long existed but I usually assumed I, myself, in the bubble of freedom within the United States of America, was blessed to be mostly unaffected by the carnage. I know others around the world have suffered far more than we in this country. I'm truly sorry for all sorrows. Now it's come too close to home and I am disheartened. No, more like heartbroken over tragedy after tragedy.

My generation fought in the Vietnam war. Most of my generation protested our involvement in a far-off war seemingly having little relevance to our own existence. We witnessed news reels shortly after the events but didn't see real time coverage like the current-day wars. Now daily we can't turn on news reports without seeing the action and results. And feeling helpless for all the victims.

The horror of having loved ones taken hostage, held for nearly two years, starved or beaten to death or used as human shields is felt around the world.

This past week commemorated the day foreign adversaries of the U.S. visited a reign of terror upon our nation. Everyone in this country, if old enough, can remember exactly where they were one morning twenty-four years ago. The vision of twin towers raining down in a cloud of dust sticks in memory. Grief is still felt, especially if a loved one perished. More death and destruction followed in an effort to avenge the fallen.

A little over twenty-five years ago, on April 19,1999, we were appalled when two young men dressed in long black coats strolled into a high school and shot fellow students to death in cold-blooded murder. If someone confessed to being a Christian, it was at point-blank range. Since then there have been so many killings we can't remember them all and don't recall anyone's names. (Once again, sorry, if tragedy directly struck your family.) Still no solutions, no reasoning why. Someone was radically indoctrinated into hatred and took devastating action.

Maybe getting into the weeds here but, incidentally, it was also on an April 19th that Ruby Ridge took the lives of a mother and a son; a compound in Waco, Texas, erupted in fire that killed many family members of a cult fighting law enforcement agents; a bombing in Oklahoma City killed over two-hundred people.

I could go on and on about tragedies that intentionally took lives of many innocent victims; bombings, planes shot down or exploded, ramming cars into spectators, stabbings, be-headings, shootings. The list goes on. We've almost become numb to them.

In the past year or so we've seen two attempts to assassinate a political candidate; a homeless woman set on fire on a subway train; a business man shot in the back on a New York City street many applauding his killer's action; countless young women innocently out for a jog assaulted and killed; kids abducted and molested; a Jewish couple gunned down leaving a conference; policemen lured into a trap and murdered; politicians threatened or shot to death on their doorstep; children murdered during mass; a beautiful refugee running from a war far away stabbed to death on a train and no-one came to her aid.

I'm sure I've missed more than I listed but the one striking me the most is the shot heard around the world taking the life of a young devoted husband and father speaking his faith and love for his God, family and country reaching out to youth giving them a voice to be heard and understood. If they disagreed with him, he offered them a microphone to debate their reasoning and prove him wrong. He encouraged them to think for themselves.

Some people called it hate speech. After being accused of being a threat to democracy for at least a decade, being silenced while speaking for free speech, the back-bone of American freedom, really felt like the death of democracy. But the victory is short-lived. May more young people rise up and carry the message beyond measure. Be strong in the Lord, and be of good courage. The victory is ours.

I've struggled with understanding why and how anyone could think murdering someone they disagree with is the solution to their angst. So, as I often do, I finally turned to scripture. It always amazes me when I find answers I need laid out for me exactly when I need them. These words were written long before any of these events troubling my mind occurred.

Wisdom from scripture:

“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” Romans 8:26

And comfort from my daily devotions written by Alena S. Guagenti, former district manager for Lutheran Hour Ministries:

“What beautiful phrases could I string together that would impress the Maker of the stars in the heavens? What wisdom could I express that would persuade the One who is all knowing? My thoughts are wholly inadequate to address the Almighty God, who is holy, holy, holy. I, a sinner, am utterly unworthy to approach Him.

In His grace and mercy, though, the Lord wants to hear from us. He loves us as His own children. At Jesus' sacrifice on the cross, the veil was torn, opening the way between God and man. Now Christ sits at the right hand of God, interceding for us.

In our brokenness, we still “do not know what to pray for as we ought” (Romans 8:26). As sin, grief, weariness, and confusion weigh us down, we are at a loss for words. In love and compassion, the Holy Spirit Himself gives voice to our prayers. The Lord makes the way, the Lord provides the prayer, the Lord listens. We need not fear coming to Him in prayer, for He is our Father, our Redeemer, our Comforter.

Prayer: God, who is Three in One, thank you for inviting me to pray to You. Please help me hear Your voice in Your Word and fill me with Your Spirit as I speak with You. In Jesus' name. Amen.”

In closing: If you are lost in deep, dank darkness of the woods, struggling to stomp out the weeds choking your thoughts then I encourage you to seek the Word of God, the Light of the world.