Sustained by the Lord

'It was no messenger or angel

but his presence that saved them;

in his love and pity 

it was he who redeemed them;

he lifted them up and carried 

them all the days of old."

(from Isaiah 63:7-9)

The week of December 13, 2025, was one filled with tragedy and violence.

The tragedy and violence began when a gunman entered Brown University and began firing on students taking their final exams resulting in two student deaths, and nine seriously wounded.

The motivation of the shooting at Brown University seemed to be related to a professor at M.I.T.

As the weekend progressed, two gunmen attacked Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, resulting in 15 deaths with numerous wounded. Occurring on first night of Hanukkah, the probable motivated was anti-Semitism

The most tragic event, for me as a fan of “All In The Family”, was the murder of Rob Rainer and his wife by their son.

With this difficult week of tragic events and senseless violence, I began searching the Scriptures for stories of God’s faithfulness in tragedy.

As I read through the Exodus story with the Israelites facing hardship and distress, God remained their savior and stood by them, living among them keeping an unwavering presence.

Continuing past Exodus, God sends messengers – angels- to intervene and act on behalf of God’s people: God stopped Abraham from sacrificing Isaac, guided Lot out of Sodom, sent Gabriel with a message to Daniel, to Zachariah, Mary, Joseph, and shepherds.

God, however, was personally involved in the fullness of salvation.

Hebrews 13:5-6 reminds us God’s promise remains true: 

“I will never leave you nor forsake you”.

Isaiah 46:4 reminds us of God’s promise:

Even to your old age and gray hairs
    I am he, I am he who will sustain you.
I have made you and I will carry you;
    I will sustain you and I will rescue you.

As tragedy and violence unfold around us, God’s mercy and presence sustains us.