I spent most of the day today frequenting pawn shops all over Vancouver.
I was looking for a violin that belongs to a friend of mine.
Hoping fervently to find it.
Wanting so desperately to redeem it that the money was carried with me.
Anticipating the tears of joy upon its return to her.
Experiencing instead tears of grief and pain, as if it was stolen all over again just today.
My heart is heavy.

God has spent most of time as we know it frequenting every corner of the universe.
He has been looking for the son and daughter that belongs to Him.
Hoping fervently to find them.
Wanting so desperately to redeem them that the way to do so was carried with Him.
Anticipating tears of joy upon their return to Him.
Experiencing instead tears of grief and pain, as if they were torn away from Him all over again just today.
His heart must be so heavy.

The parallel is weighty with me today, and very real. And yet I cannot begin to pretend that the heaviness in my heart for a violin that does not even belong to me (nor did I make) is anything close to the divine grief He must experience as any one of His precious sons or daughters turns their faces away from Him and instead chooses death.

Please pray for the redemption and restoration of the violin to its owner.
Please pray for the redemption and restoration of every soul on earth to its Creator and Father.