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Violence
amongst us. Why?
We
take a look towards the east and see and read of the
horrible atrocities in Kosovo. The sadness, the pain,
the suffering and absolute helplessness that is etched
on all the refugees’ faces as they cross the borders
to uncertainty. I can’t begin to comprehend what
possess one man to slay another without a second
thought. But as much as I look towards the east, I
need look no further than my own country, South
Africa, and see the daily violence between the
different ethnic cultures that makes up this beautiful
country. The hatred, the anger, the jobless, the
homeless, the endless struggle against poverty is just
some of the issues that spark off violent behavior. We
live in a violent social environment, where it seems
almost natural to hate our neighbor and act harmfully
towards our brothers and sisters. We are then lured
into buying guns to protect ourselves, yet these self
same guns somehow reach the hands of criminals and
then the real disaster is inevitable. As I open the
daily newspaper, I read stories of rape, murder,
theft, child abusers and family slayings. The list is
endless, the headlines larger, more frequent and it
seems that there is no limit to what one person is
prepared to do to another. - Why?
The
latest headline is the terrible 'Suicide Killers' in
Denver, Colorado. This violence is many miles from me,
yet I feel it in my heart just as if it were right
here in my own hometown. What makes young boys like
Eric Harris, 18, and Dylan Klebold, 17, walk into the
Columbine High School and gun down 13 pupils and
teachers? And then after doing the dreaded deed, they
turn their guns on themselves and take their own
lives. What causes such hatred, such pain, and such
senselessness? Do the kids of today watch too much
violence on the TV or is it the Internet itself? Who
really is to blame? The parents, the governments
and lawmakers, the Society we live in? Do we indeed
have a real answer? Sometimes I don't believe we
do, as it seems that from one day to another, it is
getting worse. Where and what are the answers?
What
words would be adequate to console those
who have lost loved ones? I personally have lost two
brothers due to tragic accidents and I have felt the
love and genuine compassion that another had for me in
my time of grief. I however, have never been in the
situation to have to console somebody else, other than
family members. What are the words that we offer
others? Do we have to be in a similar situation for
those words to flow naturally? I don't know.
Maybe someone could try and share their experience
with me.
 All
I can offer at this very moment is my uttermost
compassionate love that I receive from Jesus Christ,
our Savior and
comforter. I pray that He may heal your hearts and
fill your grieving emptiness with His love. For we
mere mortals have but nothing, other than His power,
His compassion, His sorrow, His thoughts, His gentle
loving care. So, in Jesus' wonderful name, I pray for
all of you who are directly touched by this tragic
event, and also those that have had similar past
experiences. I would not forget the person next door,
the stranger, the average man on the street, as I
believe we are all touched and shocked by this,
wherever we may live or come from. This is, and has
become part of our lives, in every land, no country is
excluded, and this is universal. We're in this
together, so let's pray, have compassion, spread the
love, together. As much as we pray for those who have
lost loved ones in Denver, we must not forget the
people who suffer in every place of conflict. Far to
numerous to mention. Lets all stand together and pray
for universal peace, so that the love of Jesus Christ
may enter the hearts of the victims and the felon. May
the Lord God bless you and may your hearts be filled
with the promise.
By:
Greg Murray
22 April 1999
Lets
be assured by Gods word
Trials
& Temptations
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you
face trials of many kinds, because you know that the
testing of your faith develops perseverance.
Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be
mature and complete, not lacking anything. - James
1:2-4
Sufferings
for His Glory
I consider that our present sufferings are not worth
comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.
- Romans 8-18
Rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of
Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when His glory is
revealed. - 1 Peter 4-13
The
Great Promise
"For the Lord himself will come down from heaven,
with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel
and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in
Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still
alive and are left will be caught up with them in the
clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be
with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other
with these words. - 1
Thessalonians 4:16-18
A
Prayer for all who have lost loved ones
We
seem to give them back to Thee, dear God,
Who gavest them to us, yet,
As Thou didst not lose in giving,
So we have not lost them by their return.
Not as the world giveth, givest Thou,
O Lover of Souls; what Thou givest,
Thou takest not away.
For what is Thine is ours always,
If we are Thine and life is eternal;
And love is immortal;
And death is only a horizon;
And horizon is nothing save the limit of our sight.
Lift
us up, Strong Son of God,
That we may see further;
Cleanse our eyes that we may see more clearly;
Draw us closer to Thyself,
That we may know ourselves closer to our beloved,
Who are in Thee.
And while Thou dost prepare a place for us,
Prepare us for that happy place,
That where they are,
And Thou art, we, too, may be,
Through Jesus Christ our Lord - Amen.
I
shall give Peace, declares the Lord.
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