God Grows Good Thinga

September 16, 2024

From Pastor Joseph Wamack

Hello MAC family. 

What were you doing on September 4, 2024, in the morning? You might not remember, but I know the students, faculty and parents at Apalachee High School in Winder, GA will always remember where they were that morning. Sept. 4, 2024, is the date when a 14-year-old boy snuck an AR-15 rifle in his backpack into school and by mid-morning, decided to go on a killing spree. At the end of his 1-2 minutes of destruction, two students and two teachers were dead and others wounded.

Incredibly sad. Incredibly tragic. The state of Georgia decided to put together a support team of social service professionals, mental health counselors and spiritual support people, for the residents of Barrow County and they graciously asked ACS (Adventist Community Services) to be a part of it. Pastor Eileen and I were each asked to “take a shift” last week at the ACS table. I was on duty Wednesday 9 AM-1PM and Pastor Eileen did Thursday afternoon.

I have been acquainted and involved with disasters, illness, and accidents for years. It is never easy and never explainable. I always think of the passage in Matthew 13:24-28 called the “Parable of the Weeds”

“Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field.  But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away.  When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. “The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’ “‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.”

God grows good things. Good things in the world and good things in people-all come from a good God. Every good and precious gift is from the Father above. Nothing bad comes from the Hand of the Father. Amen, Preacher.

Death and destruction come from the enemy. Even though death and destruction are a part of this world, may we never be so comfortable with them, that we shrug our shoulders and say “oh well. That’s just the way it is.” May we always seek and strive to make the world a better place, to bring peace, joy, safety, solutions, and grace.

I am thankful Pastor Eileen and I both got to be a part of bringing some sort of comfort to families. We cannot change the horror that happened. But we can be the Hands and Feet of God in this world, and we can pray “Even so, Come Lord Jesus.”