The Standard September 20, 2025
Many of us feel our heads spinning and our hearts aching following several weeks of tragedies and memorials. These include a shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis, MN, the stabbing of Iryna Zarutska on the light rail in Charlotte, NC, the assassination of Christian and right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, the shooting at Evergreen High School in Evergreen, CO and the remembrance on the 24th anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks.
On social media some have expressed the all-too-common reactions which only serve to further polarize people and inflame tensions which already are high. Life might seem more heavy and conflicts more real these days, or maybe it has seemed this way to you for years. Where is God in the midst of all of this violence and pain?
Jesus wept at the death of Lazarus, and for the brokenness his sisters Martha and Mary briefly experienced. Jesus’ own life ended in a horribly violent way, although he never repaid evil for evil. As the Psalmist writes, the Lord Almighty is here in our midst, grieving with those who grieve and being our strong fortress in times when we otherwise might fall apart.
“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts. The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Come and see what the Lord has done, the desolations he has brought on the earth. He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire. He says, ‘Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.’ The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.” Psalm 46:1-11
With wars raging in Ukraine, Israel, Gaza, Sudan, and other places, peace might seem elusive. Sadly, conflicts and wars have been a continuing reality throughout history. God, however, wants us first to be still and to trust. In the midst of tragedies in an often-hostile world, we can have peace.
Speaking of the former position of Gentiles, the Apostle Paul writes, “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.” Ephesians 2: 13-17
As those who are reconciled to God, we should do all we can to refrain from combative words, speaking the truth in love. To act as if we know what is in a person’s heart or what motivates them often leads to false assumptions. Certainly, we can disagree without being disagreeable. We can use social media less and interact in person more, especially with those who are hurting or whose thinking differs from ours. Getting out into our neighborhoods and beyond to see needs firsthand and to offer help is the most concrete way to make a positive difference. We should advocate for changes that we deem necessary. If we Christians commit ourselves to prayer as well as to action, our churches and communities will be more reflective of God’s ways.
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