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Yet another Islamic fundamentalist has shed innocent blood while shouting “Allahu Akbar!” – “God is great!”
I know this is a local community newspaper in Azle, Texas. It’s unlikely that Muslim jihadists will read my words. But if I could speak to them from a safe pulpit, I would tell them about the God they don’t know or serve.
In fact, God is great. That revelation should bring people to their knees in awe and gratitude. It should be uttered by those overwhelmed with the goodness and love of their Creator. That’s right, love. God is great because of his great love. “Allahu Akbar!” – those are the dying words of car bombers, mass shooters, hijackers and kidnappers, who believe they serve their God by killing their fellow human beings. They only bring reproach on God, put weapons in the hands of his enemies and drive people away from the source of salvation.
If they knew God, they would not kill His children. I wish I could introduce them to their real Father, the one who made them in his image and created them to do good works in his name. The one who calls them out of death into life, who gives them a ministry not to kill, but to help people find God and be reconciled to him – to be set free from sin and death and reconnected to the Author of life. “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” (I John 4:7-8 NIV). I know misguided followers of Christ have gotten this wrong, too. From the Crusades to the Inquisition to hard-headed church members who drive away more people than they bring in, evil is done in the name of my God as well. That is Satan’s nature. He can’t get rid of God’s word, so he works to twist and pervert it, to get God’s followers off track, immersed in side issues – to get them focused on “God is great” instead of “God is love.” There have always been people who professed to follow God without actually knowing him. But many do, and by them our community is blessed. I see them witnessing to the greatness of God all around me, every day, by showing his love. Instead of jumping up on a table with a gun and shouting “God is great” they are softly saying, “God is love” with actions that ring louder than gunshots. Passing out food and clothing, offering shelter for the battered and bruised. Providing care and comfort for young mothers who don’t know what to do about the baby growing inside them. Helping the sad, lost victims of addiction find their way out. Wiping the brows of the sick and dying, holding the hands of the elderly as they face eternity. Encouraging a child with a kind, positive word or counseling a family to help them stay together. Building a home for someone who has never owned one, or repairing someone’s home when they can’t do it themselves. Sheltering those who have lost homes and families. “God is love!” is shouted from the rooftops by a thousand acts of kindness every day in my community. It’s more powerful than any bomb or bullet man will ever devise, and it will outlive and outlast them all. “Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. (I John 4:11, NIV). Yes, God is great. But I pray for the day when “God is love” bears witness to his greatness while bombs, bullets and yes, even death take their places on the ash heap of history. Bob Buckel is publisher of the Azle News. |
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