Heaven

Today, the bloodshed of innocents sent shock waves throughout the country. 20 children. 7 adults. All lives created in the image of God. I was at work, watching the scene unfold for hours on a tv in the corner of the room. My heart would flow from anger, hurt, shock, sadness, confusion, to then more shock. Didn't yours?

And it left the question ringing in my ears: What is wrong with people?

We no longer value the worth and dignity of human life. As a society, we have chucked it out the door. Yes, few people go out and murder children. But so many turn a blind, calloused eye to (or participate in) sex trafficking. So many turn a blind, calloused eye to gang and drug violence. So many turn a blind, calloused eye to domestic abuse. So many turn a blind, calloused eye to orphans and widows and the oppressed.

This past summer, hundreds of people died from gang and drug violence in the city of Chicago. In fact, in only one week, 60 people were murdered. But no national news coverage was to be found. No mourning or recognition of the fact that our city was dying all around us. My church congregation literally wept as we begged Jesus to renew this Earth.

Whether it is children slaughtered with non-stop news coverage or the poor being murdered and forgotten, we still must ask ourselves: What is wrong with people?

No gun control laws will fix it. No security measures being raised will fix it. No ranting and raving on facebook will fix it. No political movements will fix it. Because all of those things are not permanent solutions. All of those things are just scratching the surface level, not digging in to discover the heart of the issue. There continues to be gaps in the system. There continues to be pain and suffering. Evil creeps back in.

The thing that is truly wrong that needs to be fixed? US. We are sinful human beings. Whether you believe in Jesus or not, all of humanity are sinners. We are depraved. We will continue to screw up and destroy the beautiful things God has given us. There will continue to be murderers, rapists, the greedy, oppressors.

BUT it will not always be this way. God's Son came to Earth, died for our filthy state of sin, and was resurrected and returned to heaven. This was all so that we might believe in Him, have our sins wiped away, and be able to be with our Father, Son, and Spirit in heaven for eternity.

God does not intend for the evil of this world to continue. He is going to vanquish evil. He is going to come and dwell with us for eternity. The gift of heaven is God. We will get to live with Him for eternity. We can't even imagine the sweet beauty that it will be since it will be so incomparable to this fallen Earth. The children who were slain today are in the arms of Jesus, having every tear wiped away. They are in the perfect love of their perfect Father. Do not lose hope. This world is not the way it's supposed to be; nor is it the way it will be forever. God is going to dwell with us and make everything new.

So what's wrong with us? Everything. What's wrong with God? Nothing.

What great love He has for us. He yearns for us who are imperfect to become His sons and daughters by believing in Jesus. He longs to bring us back to Himself. He bled so that we might live in perfect peace with Him and one another forever.

God is the permanent solution.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea no longer existed. I also saw the Holy City, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband. Then I heard a loud voice from the throne: Look! God’s dwelling is with humanity, and He will live with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will no longer exist; grief, crying, and pain will exist no longer, because the previous things have passed away. Revelation 21:1-4.