“What demons must have possessed that man for him to come up and do this thing?”
–NBC reporter, speaking about the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut
Christians, how do we respond to the shooting in Connecticut?
Firstly, we need to understand that this evil is nothing of what God’s intent for the world was and is. Death and the destruction of human life made in the image and likeness of God Almighty can only come from the result of sin and the work of Satan and his demons.
Finding ourselves faced with such a tragedy can cause us to think that God is not good. This is the lie that Satan wants you to believe. The sin and brokenness of the tragedy in Connecticut are evil and break the heart of God.
The Scriptures tell us that God is good and did not stand idly by while the brokenness and depravity of man tore his good creation apart.
Jesus knows the same agony and pain of the victims and their families because he experienced it (Heb. 4:15), he suffered and was murdered, as he was tortured he prayed for those who were murdering him (Luke 23:34), and he cared for the victims of his own crucifixion (John 19:26–27).
Lord, may we feel the absolute brokenness and evil of this tragedy deep in our souls. May we as God’s people cry out to him in prayer, knowing that this is not the way the world meant to be. We pray that we would not be comfortable with a world filled with brokenness and sin, that we would grieve with those who have lost children and family members and with those who grieve, and that would we find our hope in Jesus, who came to save the world and not condemn it. Would our final cry be, “Come again, Lord Jesus, make all things right once again.”
Ryan Williams is the lead pastor of the Everett church.
