Yesterday, around 9pm, the heart and spirit of people all across America and the world were broken by the news of the senseless, horrific, heinous, tragic, unimaginable, unexplainable, and inexcusable slaughter of nine innocent people in Charleston, SC. Their only “crime” – was being in what should have been the most reverent, safe place in the world, the House of God, worshiping Him.
I make no pretense to understand or to have any answers as to why this mass murder occurred. And I don’t possess the words to condemn it strongly enough!
However, I do know this. Actions of this nature cross all racial, gender, socioeconomic, religious, and educational divides. Today we do not mourn as Black Americans, White Americans, Rich Americans, Poor Americans, Male or Female Americans, Catholic, Protestant, Muslim, or Buddhist Americans. We mourn simply as Americans!
America is in a dark, dark place. Perhaps we are there as a consequence of our own doing. We expelled God from school long ago, have witnessed the disintegration of the family unit, morals, discipline, and have seemingly come to the place where we call evil good and good evil. Perhaps events such as this are just the logical progression of our own actions. Then again, maybe it’s just an act of pure evil. I don’t know. Only God does.
Undoubtedly, there will be calls for the government to do something to prevent events such as this in the future. Blame will be assigned to everything from A-Z. Politicians will give many speeches on the subject. The news coverage will be intense. And in a country like America, I suppose all of that has its place. However, as the Associational Missionary of the Troup Baptist Association, I want to put forth another kind of call. First, I want to issue a call to prayer. In your private and public prayer times, please pray for the families whose loved ones were murdered. Pray for the alleged murderer, his family, and loved ones. Pray for this church. Pray for justice. Pray for America, a nation that has seemingly lost its way, to once again truly become “One nation under God.” Pray that this tragic event may become the turning point for America, so that in the days, months, and years, to come, it will be said, “These dead shall not have died in vain!”
Secondly, I want to issue a call to us as Christians, to “on purpose” start doing the things, whatever that may mean, that pushes back the darkness that surrounds us today. Jesus told us that as His followers, we are the light of the world and if our light be hid, it is hid to those that are lost. In reality, there is no such thing as darkness. All darkness is, is the absence of light. Jesus called us to be the light of this world. Light expels darkness. It’s obvious to me that in order for America to get out of this dark place in which we find ourselves, we really don’t need another law passed or to hear another political speech. What we need is for Christians to once again become the light God called us to be. This and this alone is the only thing that will dispel this current darkness in which we find ourselves.
I don’t know about you, but my heart hurts! America – we are better than this!
Christians – please join me in praying and once again doing “on purpose” those things that make us the light of the world!
Brother Aaron
