The Justice and Joy Edition

I've been following the story of two children since 2005. I can remember the day their house was shown on the news and the Amber Alerts were issued.

Their names: Dylan and Shasta Groene.

For 7 weeks I heard news reports of how their mother, older brother and their mother's boyfriend were killed. We all grew more alert, looking at children to see a resemblence. They were abducted only 45 minutes from my town.

I lost hope after the first month of finding them alive.

Then just 3 weeks later I saw survellience video of Shasta and a man walking into a Denny's restuarant. My heart filled with hope and saddness. Hope that she was alive. Saddness because there was no Dylan and who knows what that little girl had seen or experienced. Saddness because Shasta's life would never be the same.

That man, Joseph Duncan, is on trial in Boise right now. We've gotten the guilty verdict and now we're onto sentencing.

I've been following the coverage because I want to see justice. I want to see him sentenced to death for his actions. I want to see justice for those 4 people he so viciously attacked, tortured and killed. I want Shasta to know she will never see that man get freedom. She will never have to testify at a parole hearing or hear that he escaped. I don't want him to have any comfort in his life. I want him to suffer the way his victims did and the way the survivors have to live with those painful memories.

I also want justice for those two, beautiful girls in Seattle and the boy in Southern California that he killed.

As a parent, I hold my Zoe a little closer at night, triple check the locks on our doors and suspect everyone. I am forever changed by Dylan and Shasta.

As I prayed for God's comfort, love and peace for Shasta and her family as they go through this trial, I realized something. Christ doesn't just take care of us, didn't just die for us, He also died for Joseph Duncan. While I deplore that man's actions, motives and thoughts, Christ died for him.

That's not to say there isn't consequences to his actions or that God won't allow those consequences to happen. God loves justice (Psalm 33:5). I'm just saying I had a moment where God said to me to also pray for him. I'm not going to lie, I wasn't happy about it. I didn't want to speak any words like that. My human heart can't fathom that God might love someone like Duncan.

Then I heard some of his journal entries. Duncan's whole life has been a test to God. If God didn't want him to do this or that, He would stop him.

I would love God to step in and make me stop biting my nails, but I'm positive God doesn't work like that. God works in His time, in His way. To test God will only leave you empty.

Empty is what Joseph Duncan is.

Then I thanked God for my joy. He has filled my cup, my heart, my life with His joy. He gives me everything I have. It is because of Him and Him alone that I have life. I will never be empty. I will never have to test God to see if He's real. I know He's real. I see it in everything around me.

My prayer is that you all see God's joy in your life. Whether that be in the breath you take, the people in your life or whatever else God has done for you. I pray you find His everlasting joy.

Without it, we are empty.

Psalm 126:3 - The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.