Eventhough...

"I walk through the deepest, darkest valley...
I will fear no evil
For You are with me...
Psalm 23:5
NIV

Like the rest of America yesterday, I sat transfixed before the television pictures of yet another tragedy unfolding, freezing us in time and leaving us heartbroken in the face of the senseless loss of life and harm to innocent victims. 

The height of evil and cowardice, the perpetrator deliberately chose a beautiful spring day to inflict his perverted brand of punishment on unsuspecting men, women and children who had simply come out to celebrate a friend or relative who had chosen to run in the world renown Boston Marathon.

The contrast of the terrorist, too cowardly to openly admit his identity, devising a plan to inflict deadly bodily harm on innocent bystanders who never did him/her any harm, against the spectacle of well disciplined athletes, running to raise funds for a favorite charity is so stark, it takes your breath away. Add to that the stories of heroism and selfless sacrifice to help fellow Americans who had fallen, not to mention guests of America who had come to our shores for the shear joy of running in this race, we have an amazing juxtaposition of good vs. evil on display for all to see.

Watching this horror story replay over and over on TV yesterday, I had so many mixed emotions. Pride in America, once again, as so many of our people rose to the occasion, instantly forgetting their own safety and running forward to assist those who had fallen. This is the best of America. May we never lose that spirit of compassion and selfless heroism on behalf of our fellow man. We see the fingerprint of God in the selfless, instant reaching out to help a fellow human in the face of unimaginable evil.  At moments like this, it is true that the best that is America rises to the surface...

My mind froze at the story of a little eight year old boy who lost his life at the hands of this murderer.  I have an eight year old granddaughter.  I cannot imagine what it would be to lose her in a tragedy like this.  This little boy's story is so heartbreaking, my mind tries to tell me it really didn't happen.  But it did. 

On a beautiful, spring day, a holiday in Boston, this little boy ran from the sidelines to hug his daddy as he crossed the finish line.   That moment of jubiliant celebration and affection between father and son will forever live in the heart of this daddy, who will never be able to hug his son again, never see him grow up, never be able to cheer him on in the race of life.  

To add to that horror, this little boy's mother lies fighting for her life in a hospital while his little sister suffers unimaginable pain from wounds inflicted deliberately on a little girl who was doing nothing more that cheering her daddy on in a race.  This is evil prancing and dancing in the streets on a bright, spring day when no one saw it enter and no one saw it leave - except the Lord...

He knew evil was there - it did not take Him by surprise.  He was right there.  He was there with that little boy to carry him home to heaven.  He was there spurring him on to run to his daddy for one last hug goodbye...  He is there with that mother, fighting for her life.  He is there with that sweet little girl, fighting to recover from her wounds.  He is there with that daddy who is devastated and grasping for a lifeline to hold onto in the face of his losses.  

He is there with us all at the moment that we walk through the "deepest, darkest valley" the "valley of the shadow of death..."  It stalks all of us from the moment we breath our first breath until we breath our last.  Yet, Yahweh, the God who gets off His throne to come and stand beside us in our darkest hour, is with us.  He is with us.  He is with us through it all.  For this, and for no other reason, I will fear no evil.  For Yahweh is with me.  All the way home...

May Yahwey cover them all with the blanket of His love and comfort.  At moments like this, nothing on earth will even come close to meeting their need...