DAILY DOSE OF HOPE – BLOG – NAIMA LETT
LIFESAVING DEFECT, AURORA SURVIVOR
© NaimaLett.com/blog



© CNN

Miracle.
Defect.
Abnormality.

Just a few words that are being used to describe Aurora multiple gunshot survivor Petra Anderson’s brain condition that saved her life.

Thanks a million to actor/designer Brian Lambert for introducing me to Petra’s amazing story.

CNN reports that Petra, 22 years old, sustained multiple wounds, including a shotgun pellet that went through her nose into her brain. From birth, Petra has had a brain abnormality of fluid running through her skull that she never knew about.

Apparently, when the bullet entered Petra’s brain, it followed the fluid, missing her brain and rested at the rear. Just days after the shooting, Petra has been moved from intensive care and is on to physical therapy where she is walking, talking and laughing.

“A miracle,” her pastor Brad Strait commented. “In Christianity we call it prevenient grace: God working ahead of time for a particular event in the future. It’s just like the God I follow to plan the route of a bullet through a brain long before Batman ever rises. Twenty-two years before.”

Some will pose the question, “If God planned for the route of the bullet, could He have not prevented her from being shot in the first place?”

When I preached on Sunday, I brought up the elephant-in-the-room question that inevitably crosses our minds during horrific tragedies: “Why does God allow these awful events to occur? Couldn’t He have stopped the shooter before He even went on the rampage?”

I have walked with the Lord many, many years, and I confess, sometimes, I too can sound just like the criminal being crucified next to Jesus on the cross in LUKE 23:32-43.

Verse 39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him (Jesus): “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”

Have you ever had a situation where you asked that question? Aren’t you the Messiah, Jesus? Aren’t you God?

Inherent in that question is the famous Kimberly Elise plea to Denzel Washington in the John Q film: “Do something!”

But it’s not the “Save us” where we’re asking Him to move on our behalf because we desperately need His intervention. It’s the “Why aren’t you saving us?” accusation!

“Hey, You’re God! Why aren’t you doing something!”

Or in this case in Colorado: “Hey, You’re God! Why did you allow young Petra to sustain a bullet through her brain?”

Here’s where sound biblical theology is so crucial. Biblically, we understand that God could’ve created us as perfect robots with no free will. He didn’t do that. He created us as human beings with choice. We choose between doing good and doing evil. The shooter has free will just like all of us. He chose to do evil with his free will and he will pay that price of murder by losing his freedom, and possibly even his life.

On this side of heaven, we’re all in the boat together. Some choose to help humanity. Some choose to harm humanity. God sees all and knows all and wants very much for each one of us to come to know Him as God and choose to love like He loves. In the meantime, He causes the sun to shine and the rain to pour on both the good and evil, until the time comes where this is all a wrap and we all have to answer for our deeds here, both good and evil.

This is such a small space to try to deal with such a huge theological issue of free will versus sovereignty. If you have questions, post below and I’ll answer as soon as possible… maybe even after the conference this week. It’s full speed ahead now.

I am so happy for Petra.
I am so happy for her family.
I am amazed at God’s sovereignty that planned for a safe avenue for a bullet to go through, but not harm her brain.

What a lifesaving defect!
Maybe we can look at our own abnormalities with a little more hope today. Never know when they might save our lives!
Naima

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