Grieving the Tragedy of Another Mass Shooting, Finding Hope Only in Jesus!

The horrible, senseless, tragedy happened again! ANOTHER mass shooting!! This time, from what I read, a man in Shreveport, LA, whose marriage was falling apart, shot and killed 8 children and shot 2 women on Sunday, April 19. Seven of the children were his own. One of the women was his estranged wife. This is different from other shootings whether Columbine, Bethel, Sandy Hook, Orlando, Las Vegas, or the too many other incidents where hurt people, hurt people. They are all unique. WHAT do we do in the face of such needless violence and loss of life? How does a Christian, a child of God respond?

Tuesday morning, April 21, I sat in a meeting of Lutheran pastors, and we closed our gathering with some verses which touched my heart. May you know 2 Corinthians 4:7-16.

"7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. 11 For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So death is at work in us, but life in you. 13 Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, "I believed, and so I spoke," we also believe, and so we also speak, 14 knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. 15 For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. 16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” Three truths from these verses speak to me.

First, this world is falling apart. Modern culture is falling apart in more ways than just mass shootings. But, life in this world has always been this way, whether today, or in Paul’s time, or in the time of Jesus, or the time of the prophets, or the time of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, or in the time of Adam. We live in a world of sin, and rebellion against our Lord and our Creator has consequences. So Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 4:9, “8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;” The world is full of sin, and this sin creates chaos in the lives of followers of Jesus, and chaos in the whole world. Just look at Shreveport!

Secondly, there is an answer to this falling apart, this chaos. Our Heavenly Father sent His Son, our Savior Jesus. In LOVE, the Son of God took on the sin and violence and chaos of this world to pay for our sin, to redeem the world, and to bring God’s love. Consider Jesus’ cross! So Paul writes in verses 10-11, “10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. 11 For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.” (Also verse 15.) In His death Jesus paid the debt which we and the world owe for sin, a price we can never pay. In His resurrection, Jesus overcame sin, and gives us life, even new life here.

Finally, this sin and chaos and falling apart is not the plan nor the work of God. Nevertheless, in His power and wisdom, and in His LOVE, God can use this chaos for His purpose. “17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” God uses the afflictions of life to prepare us to desire His Eternal glory. That glory gives hope and purpose to disciples of Jesus, even when the world is falling apart, even today.

I grieve in my heart for people in Shreveport whom I do not even know. I ache because the chaos of sin has devastated more people. In the midst of my shock and my grief, I am thankful for Jesus, who has overcome the world. As Jesus himself said in John 16:33, “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world."