Message from Jim Koan, Superintendent

“Where was God on January 8th in that Safeway parking lot in Tucson? How could a loving God let that happen?”


Tough questions for a tough situation but God’s in the business of answering the tough ones. I’m not speaking for God here, just sharing with you some thoughts that came to my mind as I reflected on those events.

If God were invited to appear on Fox News’ O’Rielly Factor and Bill asked Him “How can a loving God let an 9-year old die? Are you a loving God?”, I can hear God replying…

“Bill, every single man, woman and child on this earth lives with a death sentence hanging over their head. It is the consequence of man’s sin. Each of you at some point will die.

Now, I’m a father too, so I understand the grief little Christina’s parents are feeling. I understand because I sent my own little one, my Son, to suffer an undeserved and cruel death. I loved Him when I sent Him, more than anyone has loved, but it was that same love with which I love every single man, woman and child on this planet.

Yes, death is tragic, and these 6 deaths appear senseless, but I sent My one and only Son so that the death’s of 6 billion on this earth would not be senseless. That’s where the heart of this loving God is…making sure that death does not have to be the final chapter for every person on this planet. My arms are stretched out to welcome all who will come.”

Now for the unregenerate, for the non-spiritually minded, this response may not give much comfort. But for those of us who place our trust in God and have His spirit within, we can recognize that God was not diminished in any way on that tragic Saturday morning, just as He was not beaten on Good Friday on a hill called Golgotha. In death, Christ’s death, God brought life to man.

We can take heart knowing that because of God’s great love for us, our final heartbeat is not our final moment. Instead, it is the last breath before eternity with the ultimate God of love.

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. (II Peter 3:9)

This is love, not that we love God, but that He loved us, and sent His son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. (I John 4:10)