Comfort in tragedy
I’ve heard the phrase a lot “the whole world’s a stage.” If that’s true, it’s a tragedy. This past week the world watched as Paris burned and riots erupted in Milan and elsewhere. A shooting in Oregon claimed the lives of three children and their teacher. A U.S. Airman lost his life giving a rappelling demonstration at a football game.
When we hear about tragedies (which happens a lot) we easily become overwhelmed. They are a horrific reminder that we live in a world so saturated by sin that we see it every day. We face the pain of sin personally, as we struggle against ourselves in the never-ending fight to live a life that honors God and His Law. But sin continually creeps up, and when it breaks out in tragedy, we feel helpless in its face.
But let us remind ourselves that these tragedies are not new to God. We know that we have a unique Savior who gives us strength in the face of sin. And He does so by coming to us in the midst of the tragedy of sin to make His presence known.
One of the greatest comforts of Scripture is the truth that Jesus, who is God, came down to earth as a man, and he faced sin just as we do. Hebrews 4 tells us, “we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have One who has been tempted in every way just as we are—yet was without sin.” He was tempted; he suffered, just as we do. But He did so without sinning. And this means He gives hope that can sustain us in the midst of great tragedy.
