Dear friends,
Today has been one long, slow rain since before sunup. And to me it seems like a sign of God's grief, tears falling steadily, the sun hidden.
I'm feeling this way today because of the news from Jeffersontown, Kentucky, where a shooter killed two people at a Kroger this past Wednesday. Today it came out that the attacker had no particular connection to the victims, but rather the attack was likely racially motivated; he had tried entering the historic black First Baptist Church of Jeffersontown just before going to the Kroger. There is a report that when a bystander drew a concealed handgun to confront the shooter, the shooter yelled "Don't shoot me. I won't shoot you. Whites don't shoot whites."
Vicki Lee Jones is remembered as warm and open-hearted, "a good Christian woman who wouldn't hurt a fly." Maurice Stallard was a pillar of the community, and at the time was going shopping with his 12-year-old grandson. These precious people, our brother and sister in the Lord, have been devoured by the ravening beast that is racial hatred in this country. How can this keep happening?
And yet "I know that my redeemer lives." I know that God suffers with us, and God is crying with us. And I know that vindication is coming, that Vicki and Maurice, I pray, will be raised up by God, an everlasting part of the Kingdom. Not a hair on their heads will be forgotten by the One who loved them, and loves them still. Our grief is heard in heaven.
God's never-ending love and grace be with each of you,
Andrew