The Death of Tragedy

Tragedies wrap themselves around my heart Clinging tighter. Constricting Squeezing and squeezing and squeezing until I can’t move. Can’t breathe. Can’t think Locked in place by overwhelming hurt Anger. Grief. Shame. Take your pick Each one amplifies another Louder and louder and louder until I hear nothing. But chaos People shouting And oppressing. And killing And dying. And hurting Creation screaming HOW LONG, O LORD? Another voice whispers a Story An old, old Story Told a million times in a million ways The story of brokenness set right Death turned to life A King in a cradle Walked the earth in earth-coated sandals Creator covered in creation Crucified. Died. And buried And, for a moment, my heart pauses here Lingering Though it knows it’s not the end Because my heart needs to know That my King’s heart knows pain Loneliness. Hopelessness Death itself Then the rock rolled My heart begins to beat again He walked. The tragedies wince He smiled. Evil trembles The Story wraps itself around me Like a blanket Covering my hurt My panic My fear It hugs me tight Encircles me with love And proclaims “Tragedy is not the end. All will be made right. Chaos will be stilled. Death reversed. Hurts healed. The King is coming.” • Taylor Eising • What hurts do you see in the world or in your life right now? How can the gospel bring hope to these hurts? (Hint: read what Jesus said in Luke 4:14-21.) • If you know Jesus, His Holy Spirit lives in you, comforting you and empowering you to follow Him. How might God be giving you opportunities to bring healing to hurting people around you? • Someday, Jesus will return to get rid of all sin, death, and brokenness forever. How could this sure hope affect the way you live now? The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, for the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed. Isaiah 61:1 (NLT)

Read Verses:

Psalm 13; Colossians 1:15-Colossians 1:23; Revelation 22:1-Revelation 22:5; Isaiah 61:1