There's Only One Place We Can Go

By Gobel Brockman


It has happened again.

Another week, another mass shooting.

The latest tragedy took place at the airport in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. At last report there were five confirmed killed and eight wounded. Innocent people who were merely going on vacation, traveling for their jobs or for a host of reasons left home to fly to another destination, only to be tragically and senselessly cut down. It seems that the question anymore isn't IF a mass shooting will take place; the only questions are WHEN and WHERE it will happen. There are many directions I could go in talking about this (yet again), but for this week I want to go with this thought: the question was asked if there was anywhere in this world a person could go and truly feel safe. Sadly, I know the answer to that question:

No, there isn't.

At the same time that this most recent attack took place, a young man here in America was being tried for the crime of murdering nine people inside of a church. I think it's our natural tendency to believe that we should be able to go to worship and feel safe there, but the tragedy is that's no longer the case. People make different arguments for the solutions to this problem, but I believe it's necessary to understand the root of the problem first. I take you back to the beginning of creation to make a point that I have made here before. Adam and Eve were created by God and placed in the garden of Eden. The first child born to them was named Cain. He soon had a younger brother named Abel. The Bible says that in time Cain murdered his brother Abel, which means this:

The first human being born of woman was a murderer, and we've been out to get each other ever since.

I would dare say (or at least hope) that no one reading this will ever take another human life in a premeditated fashion.I would like to remind you, however, of what the Bible says in I John 3:15:

     "Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life remaining in him."

Powerful words indeed. My point in all of this is simply that we are ALL sinners, we live in a sin-cursed world, and as a result of that there is no place where we can go and escape the ravages of sin. What we CAN do is go to the cross of Christ and receive the forgiveness and power we need to live in this world. God's grace is more than sufficient to not only give us assurance of our eternal salvation, but that grace will also empower us to live in peace and trust in THIS life. No, I can't promise that you won't suffer as a result of someone else's sin, but I can assure you that no one can take you out of the hand of God. I rest in that confidence, and I trust that you will receive it as well.

I pray that every one reading this will place their faith and hope in Jesus Christ, and I pray that you will stay close to Him by faith. Regardless what happens, I know you'll be safe there.