Evil Unspeakable

In our world, unspeakable acts of evil take place everyday.  There are those who endure pain and suffering such that we may never fully know (or comprehend). 

This past weekend, I was honored to speak at First Baptist Church of Orange Park, Florida.  On Monday of last week, a 7 year-old little girl named Somer Thompson was walking home from school, when she was abducted and taken to an abandoned home nearby.  While the details have not yet been fully disclosed in the ongoing investigation, reports last Wednesday indicate that her body was found in a Georgia landfill, 2 days after her abduction. 

Last week, after I heard the news, I called Pastor David Tarkington, a man I barely know but profoundly respect.  I asked if he needed to preach Sunday instead of myself, his church body and the local community no doubt still reeling over the profound effect of a brutal crime so close to home.  David's reply:  "Nathan, don't you think that God knew you, an evangelist, would be on our Sunday schedule this weekend?" 

So I preached with as much as passion as I could muster after a full Disciple-Now Weekend with teenagers!  I preached to fight back for the ground that the Enemy had taken away.  My message was clear, I preached Psalm 56:  God is Closer than We Think.  Lives were rescued, and hearts-soil shaken, just as Jesus had planned from before the dawn of time.

Psalm 56 takes us back several thousand years to a time in King David's life where he called upon God.  He did not see God in the midst of his unspeakable suffering at the hands of the Philistines who had taken him captive.  En route to Gath, their capital city to face the king's justice, he cried out to God. 

"Remember my sorrow (oh God!).  Are my tears not already in your bottle."  Psalm 56:8 (KJV)

Psalms paints a beautiful picture of our heavenly daddy, bottling up our tears.  He will not forget our pain, but rather stores it away somewhere in the cosmos.  King David's words are intimate and profound about a God who loves more deeply in the midst of tragedy, heartache, and pain.

Today, David Tarkington preached Somer Thompson's funeral at First Baptist Church of Orange Park.  He preached to a family that is completely unchurched.  He shared an unfamiliar Gospel with them, a Gospel he lives out everyday as a pastor.  In the midst of an evil unspeakable, David and the men and women of their church shine a beacon of light to point others to a great God who is Closer Than We Think.

Amazing Gracie

My 8 year-old Gracie was awarded "Star-Student of the Month" at her school last week.  Her teacher asked for a letter to read to the entire class about Gracie, so I wrote:


Once upon a time, there was a girl named Gracie Smith. She was unstoppable. Her beauty and smarts were such that the world had never seen. She loved Jesus and puppies, even the crazy ones that used to knock her down when she was small.


Gracie decided to go to school to get even smarter. That's what people do if they know what's good for them. At school she had this teacher named Miss Belottti. She was pretty and smart so Gracie listened to everything she said. One day Miss Belotti started reading this letter about Gracie to the whole class. All of the class said, "WOW! Tell us more about Gracie!!!" And so she did. Miss Belotti read the whole story.

Gracie was born in Columbia, South Carolina. Angels in heaven sang songs about her. God smiled that day, just like he does every time a baby is born. God loves Gracie just like He loves you.

Gracie made strange sounds for a while, and drank lots of milk. Babies love milk. They don't drink Dr Pepper or Coke or Kool Aid. Gracie had a nice room to live in. Not everyone has a nice room. Some babies don't even have a house to live in. Gracie was happy.  One day her daddy was burping her, and she puked up milk all over him. It was kinda gross, but Gracie didn't care. She just went to sleep and forgot all about it.

Gracie's Mama sang songs to her. Her mama was good at it. She loved Gracie very much. Not every mama takes care of their baby like Gracie's mama does. Gracie really loves her Mom.

Gracie grew and she grew and she grew. She moved to Belmont, North Carolina when she was 2 years old. Her sister Sophie was born. And Gracie's grandma ("GiGi") and grandpa ("Poppy") helped take care of her. They are the best grandparents in the whole world!

Gracie learned how to swim. She's pretty good at it too. She plays tennis like a pro. And have you ever seen someone play the piano? She can. But she is best at taking care of her dogs and puppies. They are the best dogs, golden retrievers. They are fast and smart and very friendly. And if you throw a ball they will go get it for you and bring it back everytime. Sometimes they lick Gracie right on her face...YUCK!

Gracie has been all over the world and she's only 8! She's been to Disneyworld, New York City, even Germany and Austria too! She is going to Paris, France next week where she will go to the top of the Eiffel Tower and jump off with a parachute...just kidding. She won't really jump.

This summer Gracie bowed her head to pray. "Dear Jesus," she prayed, "I want you to come into my heart. And Jesus, I hope you will live in my heart forever. Amen." So Jesus did exactly that! He lives in her heart now, and He won't ever leave. Jesus wants to live in everyone's heart. And He's the best! Just ask Gracie.

So now you know about Amazing Gracie Smith, Star-Student of the Week!
 
I am so proud of little Gracie.  She is falling in love with Jesus, and I am so thankful to God for His great work in her life. 
 
In Philippians 1:6, Paul wrote,
"I am confident of this very thing that He who began a good work in you will carry it to completion until the Day of Christ Jesus." 
 
This verse means that God always finishes what He starts.  We're all a work in progress, just like Gracie, but God won't ever move out, divorce, or give up on us.  He will never leave, because He's the best daddy, full of Amazing Grace, and He never runs out!