"It Will Never Happen Me" ?

Cup of coffee in hand, sitting down to "check on the world", and I see the Addison Road status update: 

"Don't stop living just because evil exist in this world. Don't let evil win.                                           Praying for the people of Aurora, CO."  

My heart sank. I turned on the TV to see that 12 died and 50 were wounded in a mass shooting at a "Batman" midnight premiere. The motherly emotions stirred up in me and I had the need to do something... how can I help? My kids have gone to midnight premieres many times, what if it had been one of them?  I prayed for the families and those who lived through the traumatic evening. This won't be a night they soon forget. 


I turned off the TV and picked up my Bible and devotion and began my quite time for today... here is the verse I read: " Be careful! Watch out for attacks from the Devil, your great enemy. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some victim to devour."               1 Peter 5:8  


Part of the last paragraph said, "Just as we have to be aware that there are people who want to use the Internet to hurt others, the devil wants to use things that God meant for good to destroy us. WE SEE HIM IN THE NEWS WHEN A VIOLENT CRIME HAS BEEN COMMITTED (caps mine), but do we see him around us? Do we see him in the gossip you are spreading? Do you see him when you lie..."                                                                               (Audacious: 31 Verses Every Teenager Should Know)


Well, it's not a coincidence that is what I read today - it's a nudge to do something, but what? 


I agree with the Addison Road update... we can't stop living because there is evil in the world.  God created all things and He wants us to enjoy life, to have fun, to laugh and enjoy each other. 


I can't imagine what it would feel like to be a parent who took my child/teen to that midnight premiere last night - then to get a phone call with the news of the shooting! I pray those parents have had some really important conversations with their child/teen about eternity. Last night, 12 people began there eternity... I pray they all were followers of Christ, unfortunately statistics would not agree.


Still, what can I do?  I can boldly live out my calling to lead children/teens and parents to be prepared.  We can't live with a "It will never happen to me" mentality.  Not one person went to that theater last night thinking "this is my last night to live"! Not one parent thought as their child walked out the door, I'll never see them alive again.  What a morbid thought - of course we don't think those things! BUT that doesn't mean we shouldn't be prepared for that moment.  I've been the mom on the other side of that phone call. Fortunately God spared my children, but had He taken them - I have no doubt that right now they would be in the arms of their Father.  What about you? Do you know that you know that you know the same about your child's life? Your own life?  I don't even want to think about the number of parents and teens who've told me that they don't talk about spiritual things with each other because it's uncomfortable or awkward.  Really?  Come on people!!!  This is your child's eternity!!!  It's your eternity!!!   What ARE you talking about?  


For the past seven years I've had the privilege to teach the youth of my church on Wednesday nights, at church retreats and summer camps. I love it!!!  My desire is to prepare these students to live their everyday lives for Christ  so they in turn are prepared for their eternity. Some are eager to take in all in, like a sponge. They want to hear the easy and the hard lessons. Others, well the lessons step on their toes, God convicts them and they don't like that feeling - so they come less and less till eventually we don't see them at all.  Excuses become very easy - sometime parents even help them with the excuses.  What could we be teaching that would make them so uncomfortable? The lessons are simple... It's not about following rules - it's about the saving grace of Jesus Christ. When you love someone following them and doing things to please them come naturally. So, if we claim to have a relationship with Jesus Christ - this should be evident in our life. Sure, making some changes in our lifestyle can take time and isn't always easy - but it's so worth it!  Some aren't ready to make those changes... so what does that mean? Did they ask Him to come into their life to "save" them so they could go to heaven and that was it? Are they not interested in the abundant life that Jesus promises today? (John 10:10)


So I wonder if that is how all their relationships go?  I guess when they make a new friend they say, "Hi, I want you to be my friend!" The other person says - sure I'd love to!  "Yea! I have a new friend! Great, thanks - now I'm going to ignore you.  I won't be talking to you unless I'm in a jam - then I'll expect you to drop what you're doing to run help me.  When you ask me to do something - well, I will if it's easy and doesn't interfere with the rest of my life - and don't ask me to give up anything that I enjoy because that's none of your business."   I wonder how long that "friend" would be around?! 


Oh my, how do I end this blog?  I didn't realize the passion that would be stirred in my soul as I began writing! I guess my bottom line... had any one of the 12 who died or 50 who were injured been under "my watch" I would want to know that I did everything I possibly could do to have them prepared for eternity.  God told Ezekiel to warn the people, "it's bad now, but if you don't change your ways it will be worse!"  He told Ezekiel that this was his message to share - if he didn't and the people died the deaths would be on his hands, but if he did and they chose not to listen and obey, he would save his life. I guess like Ezekiel, God's asked me to do something and I'm willing to do it. Whether the message is accepted and changes lives is up to those who hear. 


Living Boldly for Christ!