God can fix this

About eight years ago, we packed up all my mother’s things, walked out of her house, the house I had spent much of my youth, and said goodbye to it. It was heart-rending. I looked at the creek down by the valley, walked to the bridge on Old Highway 39 and looked down, walked down to the edge of the hill at the back of the house where I had overlooked the valley whenever I really wanted to think or see deer or whatever.
We were leaving.
Time was passing.
All the history and memories and love was passing. I would eventually, after long, long minutes of staring at the valley, get up and walk away. I haven’t been back.
In Ezekiel 10 we read one of the saddest passages of scriptures:
“Then the cherubim rose upward. These were the living creatures I had seen by the Kebar River. When the cherubim moved, the wheels beside them moved; and when the cherubim spread their wings to rise from the ground, the wheels did not leave their side. When the cherubim stood still, they also stood still; and when the cherubim rose, they rose with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in them. Then the glory of the Lord departed from the threshold of the temple and stopped above the cherubim. While I watched, the cherubim spread their wings and rose from the ground, and as they went, the wheels went with them. They stopped at the entrance of the east gate of the Lord’s house, and the glory of the God of Israel was above them.
God left. Just up and left. Just had enough and left. God, who created, who loved, who loves, got up and left.
We are at a critical stage, it seems to me. I’ve written and written and, though I am most assuredly no one, I can’t imagine I’m the only one who believes that until we come together we will continue to come apart.
I do not dislike at best, or hate at worst, those who do not believe in God, as I most assuredly do. I do not dislike or hate those inside the rooms of faith that are more conservative or more liberal than am I.
I believe that with discussion can come some resolution. You do not have to believe as do I. You can believe in the Genesis version of creation or you cannot, you can believe in the virgin birth or the miracles of healing or the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. Your choice. God allows you to have those choice, this country allows you to have that choice, I — little me — certainly give you that choice.
Then there is the most ridiculous use of newspaper print I’ve ever seen.
Last Thursday’s New York Daily News cover was abysmal. Absolutely abysmal. I should know. I’ve written some abysmal headlines.
In huge white type on a black background we read this headline:
GOD
ISN’T
FIXING
THIS
Around the headline is four copy blocks with pictures.
Ted Cruz
Our prayers are with victims, their families, and the first responders in San Bernadino.
Dr. Rand Paul
My thoughts and prayers are with the victims, families, and braves first responders.
Paul Ryan
Please keep the victims of San Bernardino, California, in your prayers.
Lindsey Graham
Thoughts and prayers are with San Bernardino.
Each time the word prayer is used, it is in yellow highlight.
The bottom subhead reads (underlined in white with words innocent Americans, cowards, end gun scourge and platitudes in red):
As latest batch of innocent Americans are left lying in pools of blood, cowards who could truly end gun scourge continue to hide behind meaningless platitudes
I won’t even go into the thought process that allows an editorial on the front page of the newspaper. Let’s go beyond that stupidity and emotionalism.
Let’s go to the face that this subject, this scourge (a fine word that certainly is accurate) is two-sided. Both sides of the aisle need to get this fixed. Both sides have their own concerns. Both sides are dealing with a huge problem.
But to say with human thought that God is not fully capable of fixing this, or using us to fix this, is as dumb as nails.
They take incredibly insensitive and non-productive swipes at those who are believers, and believe people who think there is someone greater than ourselves are worthless. In my mind, someone should have been fired.
Billy Turner is a pastor of the United Methodist denomination and a retired journalist.