God hurts

I am hesitant to put fingers to keyboard today. Last week contained so much tragedy on personal, national and international levels that I do not want to come out with anything trite, patronising or disrespectful. I am fully capable of all three! I hope I am none of these things today.

What does God make of it all? The God who made each person, who loves each person unconditionally, whose Son died for each person is not indifferent. He feels our pain, he senses our anger, he understands our hurt, he accepts our questions.

Does he weep with those who weep? Does his heart break as human lives end? I believe that he must. He experienced bereavement himself when Jesus was crucified and this wound is surely part of God’s eternal existence.

That concept is something I am trying to get my head around. A wounded, hurting God? Is that really possible? Isn’t it all supposed to be sweetness and light in heaven? Well, the visions of heaven that we find in Revelation have a lamb that was slain sitting on the throne. God’s encounter with humans has left a scar on his heart.

If God is as we see him in Jesus then his heart is broken at human suffering. And if he is aware of all that is going on in human history as well as now, he will be hearing the cries of millions. How must that feel – to be aware of all human suffering and feel the sadness and pain?

Only a cruel and heartless God would sit back and remain indifferent.

God is not indifferent. He is here. With us. Sharing our pain. Hearing our cries. Experiencing the impact of bullets, the bloated emptiness of stomachs, the silent screams of anguish. His Spirit is interpreting and expressing our deepest feelings as prayers that we are unable to articulate.

Be blessed. Be a blessing.