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There but for the Grace of God

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kweli:
Hello everyone.

Eileen, I understand what you are saying even more so now than I used to. Imagine seeing a picture/footage of a person being burnt alive, with police officers in the background laughing their lungs out. Like practically mocking the person in flames. All for being a refugee, a foreigner, someone who escaped from their country and came to yours to seek refuge. And to top it off, someone who's country once took in people from your country as refugees when your people themselves where in a similar dilemma some years before. 'Exile' (meaning refugees who are welcomed in another country) was similar to the Israelites walking with God in the wilderness for these people back then. Some got schooled, got jobs and/or high positions in foreign countries. But now, them having refugees in their country becomes a visual spiritual warfare.

It's not easy to not get angry but you are right. For the Grace of God, it could have been us burning alive. For the Grace of God, it could have been us back then in their country. These are pills not very easy to swallow but it's then that we come before Him in thanksgiving, which is even harder when it's your loved one being burnt alive.

Only God can bring us comfort:

Psalm 37
1 Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.
2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.
3 Trust in the LORD and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.
4 Delight thyself also in the LORD, and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.
6 And He shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.
7 Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him; fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.
8 Cease from anger and forsake wrath; fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.
9 For evildoers shall be cut off; but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.
10 For yet a little while and the wicked shall not be; yea, thou shalt diligently look for his place, and it shall not be.
11 But the meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

Sozo:
As I read through this thread, I am reminded of the genocides that take place over in Africa and the middle East.  Villages are raided and everyone is raped, tortured and murdered except for many of the young boys.  These boys are taken and turned into soldiers.  The boys grow up and turn into the same horrible monsters that destroyed there village.  They in turn go out and rape, torture and murder other men, women and children.  And the cycle goes on.

Now, what if we were in one of these villages?  What if we survived the attack, but our son was taken from us?  Ten years later you see your son and he is now one of the soldiers raiding your village.  Your son, this monster is now raping, torturing and killing the people you love right in front of your eyes.  So here's the question:  Do you see the monster he has become....or do you see your son?

Ray's teaching of being under God's grace really hits home when you think about this!

ciy:
This is a great thread that gets into an area that we all must go in order to come to the realization of the vastness and completeness of God's plan.  It goes to the heart of the truth to realize that it is all the same and we are all the beast.  We are all guilty of all.  We are all the greatest sinner. 

I watched a movie a while back called "Blood Diamond".  In that movie and now in other info I have read and researched, many people from men to children are killed, tortured, beat, etc in the process of getting diamonds to the market.  Now who is the most guilty the man who gets drunk and accidently kills someone or is the blushing, beautiful bride and all of her friends more guilty when they go ga-ga over a beautiful diamond that has caused the killing of thousands of people over the years.  We never think, "You know if the demand for diamonds when to zero we could save many lives of men, women, and children."  If we do think it we soon pass the thought and go back into the world wanting our cake and eating it too.

We are all the beast and none is without guilt.  The beauty of God's plan is that if you really meditate on this truth it actually will set you free.

CIY

EKnight:
Thanks for all your replies.  I feel a lot better now.  :)

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