Ring Loud the Bells of Hope

"Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under....Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah,
"A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation.
Rachel weeping for her children.
She refused to be comforted because they are no more" Matthew 2:16-18

I was rocking Thomas to sleep for his nap. He asked me for his favorite song. I begin...

"He's got the whole world in His hands... He's got the..whole world...." I struggled to get it out. My mortal mind... my finite reasoning is struggling to sing these words this afternoon.

Really, God? You have the WHOLE world in your hands.... even Newton? How? How can this be? Why would you allow this to happen to innocent children?

".. in His Hands...He's got the whole world in His hands..."

again, Mommy.
(I sigh) I sing again. In tears I speak the truth. Maybe my heart will listen because my mind is elsewhere. I pray for the Holy Spirit to search my soul for the Truth that I know is in there. And then I was reminded of the weeping and killing of innocent children soon after Christ's birth. Children murdered just because they were male and infants. It is no different than children murdered just because they went to school. Soldiers barged into homes... into HOMES... and killed the baby boys. I have three sons. My youngest is 2.

There is nothing new under the sun. The Bible reminds us of this over and over again that this world offers suffering and only glimpses of our promised joy. There has always been the shedding of innocent blood. It hurts. Sin brings pain... but this why He came.

"She will bear a son and you shall call his name, Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." Matthew 1:21

As I celebrate the season of Advent... I long for the Advent which is to come... when all will be restored... when all will be well.... when we will take hold of our promise. Until then, I grieve with the hope of that promise. I rejoice in the songs of Christmas because this season marks the beginning of this fulfillment. May the bells of hope ring loud until the trumpet is blown. Truth is everything. You DO hold the WHOLE world, Jesus... and you are coming. You are coming to take captive that which you have set free.