For Ft. Hood...

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away." (Revelation 21:1-4,ESV)

Cass at Villainous Company posted this video to mourn the terrible tragedy of the Ft. Hood killings today, and it moved me to remember God's promises and His love for us:

May God bless them and keep them, may He cause His face to shine upon them, and bring them peace. May He lift up their faces and turn their mourning into dancing. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes in the morning.

For we do not grieve as those who have no hope; we know to Whom we have entrusted our souls, and we have faith that He is able to work all things for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purposes. He has begun a good work in us, and He will complete it. It is His power that works within us so that we may so shine before men that they may see our good works and glorify our Father in Heaven.

He is Father to the fatherless, and Husband to the widow. He watches over and cherishes the orphans. He leads us through the valley of the shadow of death, yet we fear no evil, for He is with us. He will never leave us nor forsake us; He is with us always, even to the end of the age.

He is our Rock and our Savior. Thousands may fall by our side, and ten thousand before us, yet we will not fear. He is the perfect Judge and will execute righteousness upon the earth.

We dwell in the shadow of the Almighty - He is our refuge and our strength, a very present help in time of trouble. We place our full trust and faith in Him, and He will direct our paths. We rejoice in God our Savior, the Living God, who loves us and gave Himself for us.

The Lord is a warrior; our enemies will stumble and fail, they will be dishonored and shamed. The Lord of Hosts is a mighty man of valor; none can withstand His wrath and none can deny His rule. His will shall be done, in earth as it is in Heaven.

Our Savior pours out His lovingkindness upon His people. His Spirit of comfort dwells within us and makes us cry out to our Father. He gives us life and freedom; His power upholds all creation and He owns the cattle on a thousand hills. All the earth is filled with His glory, and the heavens proclaim His name. He blesses us from the heavens in accordance to all His riches, and there is no good thing that He will withhold from those who call upon His name.

He knows our end from our beginning, and His hands formed us in our mothers' womb. There is no place we can flee from His presence; even if we descend to the depths of Hell, behold He is there. He has made us a little lower than angels, yet we will one day judge them as we sit at His right hand. He has ransomed us and purchased us and has clothed us in His glorious righteousness, so we may worship Him in spirit and in truth.

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised— who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written,

    "For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
   we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered."

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:31-39, ESV)

Amen, and amen. The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away: blessed be the Name of the Lord.