The Colorado Shootings
By this time you've probably heard the news—how last Sunday a lone gunman went on a shooting rampage at two Christian facilities in Colorado. The first attack took place at a Youth With a Mission center in Arvada, Colorado. Two staff members, Tiffany Johnson, 26, and Philip Crouse, 24 were killed. The second occurred just 80 minutes away and 12 hours later at New Life Church where the gunman, Matthew Murray, killed two sisters, Stephanie and Rachael Works, ages 18 and 16 in the parking lot. Murray was finally stopped when he entered the church and a courageous female security guard shot him several times.
The losses are especially difficult to understand considering that the victims were so young and all were committed Christ followers, attending church. Some were even training for missions. Why would God allow such a horrific thing to happen to His servants?
Although it may seem natural to question God, there is also something deeply unfair about blaming Him. Can God really be called to account for the violent actions of a disturbed, disgruntled young man who heard voices and wrote angry screeds against Christianity? If anything I’d trace the origins of this horror to a very different spiritual source.
As condolences have rolled in from all over the country I’ve wondered whether any words, no matter how well intentioned, can bring relief in the wake of such tragedy. What do you tell a father who has just witnessed his teenaged daughters being executed?
Words of comfort almost seem trite. Explanations sound hollow. So it’s at times like these I’m grateful that we serve a God who offers something much better than words. He offers Himself, His presence, His Son. Ultimately that’s His answer to suffering. Other gods may suffice while the sun is shining. But when the dark storm clouds of tragedy gather only the suffering Messiah will do. Like Edward Shillito wrote, “But to our wounds only God’s wounds can speak.”
The cross not only atones for our sins; it also stands beside the losses of our lives, reminding us that He, who knew no sin, suffered too.
Today it stands in Colorado beside the families reeling from grief. I pray that when words fail to comfort they will lean with confidence against its strong and steady beam.
The losses are especially difficult to understand considering that the victims were so young and all were committed Christ followers, attending church. Some were even training for missions. Why would God allow such a horrific thing to happen to His servants?
Although it may seem natural to question God, there is also something deeply unfair about blaming Him. Can God really be called to account for the violent actions of a disturbed, disgruntled young man who heard voices and wrote angry screeds against Christianity? If anything I’d trace the origins of this horror to a very different spiritual source.
As condolences have rolled in from all over the country I’ve wondered whether any words, no matter how well intentioned, can bring relief in the wake of such tragedy. What do you tell a father who has just witnessed his teenaged daughters being executed?
Words of comfort almost seem trite. Explanations sound hollow. So it’s at times like these I’m grateful that we serve a God who offers something much better than words. He offers Himself, His presence, His Son. Ultimately that’s His answer to suffering. Other gods may suffice while the sun is shining. But when the dark storm clouds of tragedy gather only the suffering Messiah will do. Like Edward Shillito wrote, “But to our wounds only God’s wounds can speak.”
The cross not only atones for our sins; it also stands beside the losses of our lives, reminding us that He, who knew no sin, suffered too.
Today it stands in Colorado beside the families reeling from grief. I pray that when words fail to comfort they will lean with confidence against its strong and steady beam.
posted by Drew Dyck at 2:23 PM
6 Comments:
I cannot help but wonder if a "skullcap", that the shooter was reported to be wearing, was something that one would see American Muslim wearing. He was also reported to be wearing a beard. I cannot help but wonder.
I cannot help but wonder because I believe that this is the first of many such incidents that I believe will become a part of the general and "popularly" sanctioned persecution of the "church"(those who are actually a threat to darkness by virtue of their understanding of what the Kingdom of God really refers to and their singular and passionate pursuit of It/Him.)I believe it is simply a matter time before these kinds of attacks become common in the near future of the American and very likely the western church.
We are fixin to go through the fire! Do not fret though, we will come out of this furnace without spot or wrinkle!
Scott
Hey Scott
Please read a little about the story before posting something so off the wall. The shooter was a young man who grew up in a Christian home that was turned down by YWAM for entrance to their DTS. Not exactly a violent American Muslim.
Maybe the fire isn't Muslims but instead a time for purging in the church (Paula and Randy White, the Bynum's, Richard Roberts, etc.)
Doesn't the verse go something like "judgement starts in the house of God."
We will never fully understand why bad things happen to good people. Only God knows why. I do know that every one of the aposles were murdered except one who was banished to an island. Anyone who dies for the cause of Christ has a great reward in heaven. This, however, doesn't make it any easier for their families. I pray that the Lord will comfort them in their time of loss. I pray that the Lord will take what the devil meant for evil and turn it into something that will take even more ground from hell.
Dear Brothers & Sisters in Christ. I would like to put in my two-cents worth. I received Jesus as my Savior many, many years before my salvation was worked out. During those years, in my darkest hours, I would often imagine that I would travel to a nearby church on Sunday morning and run screaming into the building as the congregation met for worship. The idea was that I would cry out to Christ's Body and demand that I be delivered. I was never in more pain than when it was God, Himself that was the object of my anger. When I was feeling alone and afraid, lost and confused, though crying out to Jesus day after horrible day, I felt abandoned by God and dismissed by His followers. Now, I never had daydreams of causing any harm to my Family, but I think I understand Matthew's pain and what drove him to such a horrible act of murder. My post here is not to add to the voices of blame, but to suggest that, when we imply that any child of God may have been acting as an agent of Satan, we are using pat theology to excuse our own responsibility to be our brothers' keepers. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you keep your eyes, ears and instincts open for the opportunity to minister to someone among you who may be troubled to the awful extent that Matthew Murray was. It is too easy for all of us to choose to spend time with those folks we find in church who are enjoying His victory in their lives. Ask God to show you who, among the many faces we see each day, may need your attention and His love.
In His most precious Name, I greet you,
Jim Horan
I think this points to the importance of being involved in the lives of youth and actively looking for those kids who, on the surface, seem like nice kids — quiet, unassuming, not interested in bothering others. That's not to say that all quiet kids who are otherwise polite are going to go off and shoot up a school full of classmates, but it seems like there's a common denominator in those who we've read about and seen on the evening news.
We can all remember our teenage years and the rollercoaster ride that it was — the highs and the lows and how quickly the highs can become the lows!
For many of us, I think the culture today is so different than when we were teens, that we simply don't understand, and therefore don't get involved. Speaking for myself here, I think we need to make an effort to understand and to get involved in the lives of teens and even pre-teens. If one adult can change the life of one teen — who knows, maybe the single life we change now will save lives later.
Just a thought
I think it's a sad commentary on the Christian church in America when we have to have security guards w/ guns on church grounds. Where a "Christian" guard would be lauded as a hero when she shoots to kill. Were not most, if not all, of the people in that church building ready for eternity? ...whereas the shooter was obviously not. What does Jesus say about the worth of one soul? I think of all the persecuted Christians around the world and throughout history who would never dream of even hurting their persecutors let alone killing them and sending them into an eternity in Hell. But we in America feel as though we need to save our own lives...not believing that God is powerful enough to save our lives or that a testimony of love and peace for those that persecute us won't be more effective in our culture than gunning them down. I have to compare the shooting at the Amish school in PA to this...I truly believe the affects from the testimony of the Amish people's "returning good for evil" will last into eternity.
-Marcel Witmer
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