What a Horrible Day in My Neighborhood: The day the Lord gave and took away...

A truly horrible thing took place in my neighborhood yesterday, and I am so grateful that today was Sunday. God was kind to my heart when He gave me perspective and listened to me when I cried and told Him I didn't know what to do with it all. He didn't give me a complete answer, but He did talk to me about His character — sovereign and faithful — and what my posture needs to be: available!

"Grace to you and peace [inner calm and spiritual well-being] from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed [gratefully praised and adored] be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort, who comforts and encourages us in every trouble so that we will be able to comfort and encourage those who are in any kind of trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For just as Christ’s sufferings are ours in abundance [as they overflow to His followers], so also our comfort [our reassurance, our encouragement, our consolation] is abundant through Christ [it is truly more than enough to endure what we must]." 2 Cor 1:2-5

"The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord.” Job 1:21

"Clothe yourselves with humility toward one another [tie on the servant’s apron], for God is opposed to the proud [the disdainful, the presumptuous, and He defeats them], but He gives grace to the humble.Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God [set aside self-righteous pride], so that He may exalt you [to a place of honor in His service] at the appropriate time, casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully]." 1 Pet 5:5-7