October 7, 2006
Newsletter Archives

With one more shooting spree added to an increasingly long list, more questions are raised about God’s involvement-or lack of it-in such random acts of violence. And perhaps this is underscored by the fact that this latest event takes place in the peaceful, pastoral, Amish country of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. When innocent children of a community known for its meek and gentle spirit become the target of aggression, it clearly raises the question of why God allows it.
There are no easy answers, nor short ones. But we can start by speaking of the responsibility God placed in the hands of humanity when Noah came out of the ark after the flood. God said: “And at the hand of man will I require the life of man. Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made He man” Genesis 9:5-6. God has entrusted humanity with human government so, essentially, God is not interfering with how we run the world at the present time. I know that in dark days people feel that He should become involved, but that is not His plan.
Furthermore, the Western world has largely shut out God. While the Amish people have not, they, like the rest of us, live in a world that has. Hence we are affected by attitudes that surround us and the culture in which we live. God does not put a protective wall around those who walk with Him. God-fearing people suffer collateral damage in the violent world in which they live.
And they face the same problems as others. In fact, sometimes they face more. When one Psalm-writer was crushed with personal suffering. He wrote: “But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped. For I was envious at the arrogant, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. For there are no pangs in their death; but their strength is firm. They are not in trouble as other men; Neither are they plagued like other men” Psalm 73: 2-5.
Notwithstanding, the Amish folk are putting the best spin on their troubles by seeing the mysterious hand of God in the calamity. One of their bishops has already said that it is “God’s plan.” Perhaps he understands what Paul wrote to the Romans when he said, “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways part tracing out” Romans 11:33.
So when we ask why these things happen, the short answer is only God knows and He will bring some good out of it. As Paul stated, “And we know that to them that love God all things work together for good, even to them that are called according to his purpose” Romans 8:28.

Jim Beattie, submitted by Russ Nesbit