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This blog is simply meant to bring God the glory; no more and no less. I'd love to hear from you! Comments, questions, conversation. rebecca.labriola@gmail.com

Friday, July 20, 2012

Aurora Shooting. Friday, July 20. 2012

Everything feels heavy this morning.
My phone, my drink, my body.
Seems like a struggle.
Nothing like the struggle the people in Aurora, Colorado are dealing with.
At least a dozen people dead and dozens more injured.
All because they wanted to go see a long awaited movie.
I cannot even imagine the shock.
The pain of loss.
The fear of hoping for life but only thinking about death.
My prayers go out to these people; to this town.

Through this all, the thing that is racing through my mind is HEALING.
Healing from the pain of loss.
Healing from physical pain.
Healing from the lack of trust.
Healing from heavy hearts.

This healing can only come from Christ.
My prayers go out for healing.
He is the Healer.
He can mend all that has been broken, bruised, and torn.

God, please help unite our nation.
Heal our hearts from this heavy load.
Comfort the broken.
This is where the healing begins.

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Know Him. Know Peace. Thursday, July 19. 2012.


Jesus said:
"Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,
and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,
for I am meek and humble of heart;
and you will find rest for yourselves.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden light."
Matthew 11:28-30

This passage confused me for the longest time.
I love this passage but I never seemed to quite get it.
This passage did not line up with life.
Life is hard and I think most people would agree.
Life never seems to be peaceful, restful, or light.
Sure, when in prayer, there is peace
or in quiet moments rest can be found
but for the majority of time, life is rough.
Life is fast-paced.
It is hard and it is harsh.
So, what was Jesus talking about?
It certainly sounds nice
and He definitely does not lie
but it just does not fit.

I guess while reading this passage
it is important to recall that we are to be in the world but not of the world.
When Jesus makes these lofty promises
He surely could not have been talking about this earthly world.
His time on earth was not peaceful, restful, and light.
His life on earth was painful, sorrowful, and hard.
Thankfully, in the end, all that He went through was incredibly redemptive.
The key to that passage seems to lie in the previous line; in the end.
I believe that that passage will ring fully true at the end of our lives; in Heaven.
While choosing Jesus on earth is surely better than denying Him,
it does not mean earthly life will be perfect.
Life will still be rough but we can rest assured that, similar to Jesus' suffering,
our suffering can be redemptive and can lead to peace and rest in Heaven.

Jesus was not lying when He proclaimed this well-known passage but rather,
He was assuring us that if we live our lives for Him,
in the end, in Heaven, we will know peace, rest, pure humility, and meekness.
Praise God.