How could they?
How could they starve and gas six-million Jews? How could they rape innocent girls walking home from school, and kill wide-eyed children in front of numb mothers?
How could they?
How could they sell poor men like animals, and buy powerless women like meat? How could they ravish the virgin, once, twice, a hundred times and then leave her crumpled on the street, forever to feel like garbage?
How could they?
How could they reach into the warmth and wonder of a womb and destroy the life of the unborn – and with it – the equally precious one left staring at the ceiling, who feels there is no other choice? How could they desecrate the sacred?
How could they?
It’s not only because those that defile others are lost and in the dark, though they are. They are not simply confused, uninformed, or blind. No, those that put their hands to acts that violate innocent lives, are actively persecuting God himself.
“Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”
“Who are you, LORD?”
“I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting.”
Evil’s chief end is persecuting Jesus, and the creation he loves. Above all the good things he has made, God loves man most. And so, those that Evil recruits to speak slander, steal purity, end life, abuse creation, and whisper lies, are agents of an enemy with an eternal hatred of God’s own son. They are tools of darkness.
And that enemy was us, before grace.
King Jesus left the glory of heaven – and all its wonder – to take on human flesh. While on earth he withstood Evil’s best temptations to have him bow down and become full of self. He was abused, slandered, and murdered, deserving none of it. All this, in order to be the innocent, holy ransom for mankind in hopeless bondage to evil.
This Jesus is the one Evil is persecuting. This Jesus is who we worship, saints!
So, cheer up church! Yes, the days are evil, but grace is even more near. Do not fear these days, or anxiously wring your hands and doubt. Worship again with a whole heart, humble yourselves before the LORD, wash yourselves and be healed.
All life is, and always has been, in God’s hands. A single flutter of a hummingbird’s wings, and every heart that beats – even once – is known and seen by our loving Creator.
Whether evil has been done by you, or to you, there is enough mercy – yes – even for you. You may have ended a life, or thought of ending your own, but Jesus was destroyed – not for good men – but for sinners, so that we can have new life in him.
You have been ransomed.
Your sins have been paid for, covered, washed, blotted out forever.
You are no longer a slave.
God has poured out his spirit on you, and is with you.
You are free.
Now go and sin no more.
Therefore, my brothers, I want you to know that through Jesus, the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. (Paul in the book of Acts 13:38)
Joy to you, today, as you remember that if God is for us, who can be against us?
Kim
Given Breath 
Thanks Kim for a great word.
Love Dad
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I love you dad:) You made loving Jesus something I always wanted to do.
Excellent as always.
Great words Kim. So well put. Thanks for the reminder and the encouragement today!
Kim, this is so beautiful, poetic, and encouraging for these days. Thank you.
I’m going to leave a comment here because it might be buried in the comments on your open letter to young women. I’m grateful that your post has gone viral! The reason it’s gone viral is because mom’s have embraced your message and talked to their sons and their daughters about what they post and the messages they’re sending. Thank you for opening the discussion in our home. I also want to say thank you because reading that viral post has also introduced me to your other posts. You are a talented writer and a beautiful soul. I am grateful to be taught by you, a stranger to me but a friend in Christ.