12 Dec, 2007
The evil continues...
How can we begin to explain evil in our world?
Report: Colorado gunman warned of attacks online
Matthew Murray in 2002
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - With the identity of the gunman now known, residents of two Colorado towns were left Tuesday with deeper questions: What drove Matthew Murray to a rampage that claimed four lives at a church and missionary training center, and were there warning signs that could have prevented it?
Autopsy results show Murray, who was kicked out of a missionary training center where the first shooting occurred, killed himself, police said.
Murray, 24, was struck multiple times by a security officer at New Life Church Sunday but died after firing a single shot at himself, the El Paso County Coroner's Office concluded after an autopsy.
In between his two deadly shooting sprees, Murray apparently posted a furious threat on the Internet to kill Christians. But whether the warning reached police before he struck again was unclear Tuesday.
The warning — and other anguished, despair-filled messages over the past few months — were posted by someone using the screen name "nghtmrchld26." The postings paint a picture of a home-schooled Colorado youth once affiliated with the Youth With a Mission program — as 24-year-old Murray had been.
"I'm coming for EVERYONE soon and I WILL be armed to the (expletive) teeth and I WILL shoot to kill," Sunday's posting by nghtmrchld26 said.
"God, I can't wait till I can kill you people. Feel no remorse, no sense of shame, I don't care if I live or die in the shoot-out. All I want to do is kill and injure as many of you ... as I can especially Christians who are to blame for most of the problems in the world. You Christians brought this on yourselves," Murray wrote, according to the station, which did not identify the site. "All I want to do is kill and injure as many of you as I can especially Christians who are to blame for most of the problems in the world."
The online threats appear to include whole passages lifted from a manifesto written by Eric Harris, one of the teens who carried out the 1999 massacre at Columbine High School — 13 miles from Murray's hometown, the Denver Post reported.
photo courtesy images.google.com & story msnbc.msn.com, 12/11/07
John 8:44
44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
Luke 13:1-3
Repent or Perish
13:1 There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? 3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. (ESV)
How does today's God's Story scripture help us understand the evil in our world?
Please know that I am not claiming to have all the answers - only God does - and we won't completely understand them until eternity in Heaven begins.
But today's scripture provides us some insight into the unspeakable evil that occurred in Omaha last week and in Colorado this week. Our hearts and prayers go out to the family and friends of those killed.
Obviously, Satan had a role in the evil done by the killers.
Jesus described Satan as an evil murderer who hates all Truth and is the father of lies. We may never know the whole story of the 24-year-old killer in Colorado, but at some point in his life, Matthew Murray bought into the lies of Satan. He may have believed the lie that he had been a victim and therefore his action was justified. He may have believed the lie that life doesn't matter. He may have believed the lie that God didn't love him or could not help him. He may have believed the lie that there is no hell or consequences for sin.
Today's scripture also helps us see that sin has a role in the evil that happened in the killing of the innocent victims in Colorado. Each of us is responsible for our own sin, but sometimes it is the sinful actions of others that result in pain and suffering for innocent people. That's the point that Jesus is making in Luke 13:1-3. Innocent worshippers were murdered by the sinful action of Pilate.
Young people preparing for missions and young people attending church were innocently pursuing service to God and worship of Him, but the evil, sinful action of Matthew Murray has changed many lives forever.
None of this seems fair, but we live in a sinful, evil world where Satan is at work.
Take heart. This won't last forever. Jesus said so.
How can we connect today's God's Story scripture to our lives?
- Talk to God right now. Ask Jesus to use His Truth to help you understand His perspective on why evil things happen in our world. Thank Him for being in control. Thank Him that He welcomes you, His child, to ask questions and listen...
- Pray every day this week for God's Spirit to give you insight into His answers for your questions.
- In your journal, write down your thoughts and questions as you reflect on today's DAILYBIDE.
How can we connect today's story and God's Story scripture and our story to others?
- Pray for someone you know who seems to be suffering or going through a painful time, due to Satan's influence or the sinful actions of others. Ask this person how you can help.
- Sit down with other friends in your youth group, at school, at work, or with your family and get their perspective on "why such evil things happen in this world"? Be ready to quietly trust Jesus to lead you as you share part of your story and/or God's Story.
- Pray for the family and friends of those recently killed in both Omaha and Colorado to experience the comfort that only God can provide. Pray that God will use these tragic events to draw people to His grace.
- August 2008 [19]
- July 2008 [22]
- June 2008 [13]
- May 2008 [20]
- April 2008 [22]
- March 2008 [21]
- February 2008 [19]
- January 2008 [20]
- December 2007 [19]
- November 2007 [16]
- October 2007 [20]
- September 2007 [18]
- August 2007 [12]
- July 2007 [12]
- June 2007 [10]
- May 2007 [12]
- April 2007 [10]
- March 2007 [11]
- February 2007 [14]
- January 2007 [7]
- December 2006 [4]
- November 2006 [13]
- October 2006 [17]
- September 2006 [11]
- August 2006 [16]
- July 2006 [11]
- June 2006 [3]
