Chardon .  Newtown.  Boston.    Fertilizer Plants blowing up.  Chemicals sent in the mail.  Maybe when we hear these words and the horrific events attached to them we want to yell out with the Jews: "'How long will you keep us in suspense?’'' If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.  We do not want the suspense any longer.  We want God now.  In the midst of the calamities, in the midst of senseless we want the full resurrection peace, now, today. These inconsolable events and the families attached to them, leave us with our mouths often dropped in our own disbelief of humanity's in humanity to one another.  Jesus does give us, I guess, a partial response in his answer:  “I have told you and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name testify to me...   My sheep hear my voice.  I know them and they follow me.  I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand.'"  

From Pastor Randy's Sermon on 4/21/2013 

From Pamela:  
How true.  When despicable and senseless tragedy hits us, the voice of fear and doubt says, so where was God in any of this?  If God is all powerful then why didn't God prevent this from happening?

Then we remember that we (as CS Lewis said) live in enemy occupied territory.  True, most Americans do not live with the daily background sounds of gunfire, explosions and keening voices.  However, the possibility of tragedy is with us every single day. And in recent days, tragedy has erupted and traveled in shockwaves, and we are reminded of our vulnerability.

In our most vulnerable moments we are called to look and listen for the sights and sounds of hope.  They are there -- they beckon to us and gather us into heart of God.

It is not easy.  It never has and never will be.  But our faith assures us that it is possible -- Nothing and no one can ultimately snatch us from the hand of God.