How Can it Be?

The Great Horse escape will have to wait

I found this headline this morning.
RALEIGH, N.C. - A mother found her 4-year-old daughter decapitated in her home, and police issued an arrest warrant for the girl's father.

How can it be? What? I am unable to comprehend what we do to one another. I say "we" to identify that we are all humans, created by the same eternal God. Apart from our Lord Jesus are any of us capable of such deplorable atrocities? Yes I cannot type/speak the answer with any vehemence. Yet, I know the answer is yes. Because apart from the saving grace of the Lord, we are all capable of anything.

Titus 3:3
At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.

D-E-C-A-P-I-T-A-T-E-D! His four-year old daughter's head. Beyond my comprehension

Ephesians 4
18 They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. 19 Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.

So yes, they, those not under His Lordship, partakers of His saving grace, regenerated by the Power of His Holy Spirit; are darkened, hard hearted, lost all sensitivity, and given themselves over...

But the good news is:
Galatians 3 :22
But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.

And what has been given?
Colossians 3;33
For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 3:5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you:sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry... 3:10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.

And what do we now have the power to put on:
3:12 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 3:13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.
3:14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.
3:15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.

Praise God we can live redeemed lives. Yes! But we must always be conscious of what we were and how easily we can slip backwards if we take our eyes off Christ. If we even for a moment deny His power and Lordship in our lives.

I do not want to end on sour note but on the beauty, love, and glory of our Lord. Deplorable, despicable, tragedies take place in this fallen world we live in. We must stand tall as beacons of light and love; so that those broken by a sinful world will see our light, the Son, and and run into His arms of restoration, healing love.

We must pray for this shattered family: John Patrick Violette, 37: father; Amber Violette, wife/mother; Katlin, daughter