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What makes yesterday's news the most vivid to me, was that I have been to Westroads Mall many times.  I have enjoyed watching the hired jazz pianist at Von Maur, from the same balcony that young Robert Hawkins was perched in yesterday.  Westroads is located about 10-15 minutes away from my apartment, right along Omaha's main street...Dodge.  I drive past the mall everytime I go to church, go to my grandma's or go out for a cup of coffee with a friend.  Yesterday I could have easily been one of the 9 that were gunned down so randomly.  That's frightening...but what's even more frightening than that thought is this one: 

 I would have deserved it.

 But instead of writing a large, detailed post explaining that statement, I thought I would instead share a blog entry that a good friend of mine, Andrew Denekas, wrote on his blog "redhairedreformer.com".  Andrew quotes two of my favorite people (Jesus, and John Piper) as he explains the biblical way that we should react to this tragedy. 

Shooting in Omaha

by Andrew Denekas


Omaha, NE - Today at 1:43 PM a young man walked into the Von Maur department store at Westroads Mall. He was not there for the usual Christmas shopping that happens this time of year. He had a different motive. He was carrying a rifle. Within minutes, 13 people had been shot. One store employee described in an emotional interview on a local TV station the panic in her JCPenny store. She was helping a lady find a belt, when she saw the gun man run past her. Then she saw a mother with her two boys trying to run away, she helped her by picking up the boys and leading them to a back room along with the women she was helping. She also saw a man trying to reach his wife on her cell-phone but was unsuccessful. He was carrying his new born child. (I have no idea if that man found his wife or if she was one of the victims in the shooting.) Now eight of them have died and two are in critical condition. This Christmas 8 families will be without their loved ones. I can’t imagine the sorrow that these families are going through. I can’t imagine how hard it would be to pick the kids up from day-care or school, and have to tell them that there mommy or daddy will never be coming back. Think on that for a minute (or longer). Now read the rest.

Coming question

I know that questions about God will be asked in the coming days. They will go something like this, “Why would a good God allow a young man (full of anger and bitterness) to go to a mall and kill 8 people at random?”. Do you think that is the question we should be asking? I don’t think it is. I believe the question that Omaha should be asking is, “Why was I spared and the others killed?” There was one woman on an escalator who was standing next to a man. The gun man leaned over the side of the railing on the third floor and shot him. He was killed instantly. She was spared. She should be asking tonight, “Why was I not killed and what am I suppose to do now?”. Is this not what Jesus said in Luke 13:1-5.?

    "There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”

Quoting from John Piper, “Jesus implies that those who brought him this news thought he would say that those who died, deserved to die, and that those who didn’t die did not deserve to die. That is not what he said. He said, everyone deserves to die. And if you and I don’t repent, we too will perish. This is a stunning response. It only makes sense from a view of reality that is radically oriented on God.”

Life after a tragedy

Some think that after a tragedy you should try to just live life as normal as possible. Some live in fear all the time after something like this. What should our response to tragedy be? If you are not a Christian, dwell on Christ’s words, “…unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” He is not saying that you will perish only from physical life, but you will also perish forever in Hell, separated from God and his love. But He has provided a sacrifice for your sins. His name is Jesus Christ. For more information on this click here.

But for Christians, how should we be changed after a tragedy? We should remember that our life is like a vapor. We only have a short amount of time to do what Christ has called his followers to do. We need to always be about the Kingdom business. Whether it is talking to the people in line next to us about the Lord, honoring our parents, or showing love to our enemies. Life is short, eternity is long, so live like it!

So as the families are grieving tonight the loss of their loved one’s, will you join me in lifting them up in prayer? Please pray that God will bring many to Himself through this tragedy. For more information on living every moment for God click here.

Conclusion

Tonight there are many unanswered questions from the unbelieving world. Are you going to answer them? Are you going to step out of your comfort zone and talk to them? Or are you going to hide the light of Christ? Are we going to live as if your life is our lives are short? Does Christianity only matter on Sunday morning? Or are we bringing the message of hope to this hurting world? Are we just living like it doesn’t really matter? I challenge the Christians to become a people that the world will see and ask why we grieve so differently.

Go Christian, and be light and salt to this dark world. Bring the message of comfort to the hurting, sick, and needy. Love God with your actions.

If you need more information on God’s sovereignty and suffering click here.
 

About The Author...

Ben Lueders is from Hawaii but he lives in Nebraska now. He's married to a cute girl named Megan. He does music, graphic design, Twitter and stuff.

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