Isaiah 11:6-9 

I was driving on the interstate Saturday afternoon and saw a turtle on the road. He had just stepped across the white line and was barely in my lane. I swerved a little and successfully missed him. I am SUPER sensitive about this. I squint and look away when I see a dead animal in road. To be honest, my compassion for animals is why I stopped eating beef and pork about a year ago. I don’t eat turtle either.

This amazing creature God made was minding his own business trying to find food or water and had no idea what the consequences might be for innocently crossing the road. He was big, old, and beautiful. I would have turned around to help him across but the highway was busy and I didn’t want to put myself or others at risk. I felt a punch in my stomach though when I looked up at the rearview mirror and saw two semi trucks side by side right behind me. I knew in my heart the turtle didn’t make it across and I wept like a baby. Silly? Maybe. But maybe I just have a big, soft heart. I can’t help it. I was born that way.

The next morning I heard about the mass shooting at a gay bar in Orlando. The headline said it was the deadliest shooting in United States history. Innocent lives lost because of evil in the world. Those people didn’t deserve that no matter what their sexual orientation. And besides, who is to say all of the patrons were gay? I visited a gay bar twice earlier this year with a friend and I am by no means homosexual. The victims in that bar were innocent PEOPLE.

I don’t have cable at home anymore so I can’t watch the news. I don’t know what the media is reporting now. Was it an evil act against homosexuality? Was it an evil act against innocent people enjoying themselves on a Saturday night? I don’t know the motive. I just know that these things shouldn’t be happening. But then I remember that not everyone has a big, soft heart. Maybe the evildoers in the world were born with one though. They were just raised in an environment that taught them evil was their only option.

I cried my eyes out over a poor innocent turtle who lost his life while minding his own business. I cried my eyes out over the senseless loss of precious human life in my own country. I am crying as I type this. Sometimes it is all a bit much to take. I read Isaiah 11:6-9 yesterday and it made me think about how things could be. To me the animals mentioned in the scripture are analogies to humans. The wolf can live with the lamb. The Leopard can lie down with the goat. The calf and the lion and the yearling can be together. The little child can lead them. They will neither harm nor destroy and the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.

Until the world knows the love of Jesus evil will continue. His love brings peace. Wicked men can be restored through him. They can be transformed…into something meek and gentle. They can learn to love. That is all God wants from us…to love Him and to love one another.

Love to Orlando and love to our hurting world. We CAN turn it around. When we know better, we must each one of us do better. James 4:17 “Therefore to him that knows to do good, and does it not, to him it is sin.”

I have a heavy heart this morning but I have a faithful God who loves. He just loves.

Blessings,

Stacey ~ iamalive