New Year Attacks
New Years Day arrived in tragic fashion in both New Orleans, LA and Las Vegas NV.
In New Orleans, an attacker identified by officials as Shamsud-din Jabbar drove a truckaround police barricades and down a crowded Bourbon Street shortly after 3:00a.m., killing at least 15 and injuring dozens. Jabbar was later identified as a U.S. citizen who has pledged allegiance to the Islamic State.
In Las Vegas, a U.S. Army veteran took his own life in the process of exploding the Tesla Cybertruck he had parked in front of the Trump hotel. The soldier was identified as Matthew Livelsberger, and authorities found multiple notes suggesting he was struggling with intense mental trauma, and wanted the incident to serve as a “wake up call” for the country.
Analysis and eternal perspective: Joyous occasions have increasingly become targets for those who would do harm and inflict evil. As is so often the case, these two acts of violence are marked by deep brokenness. In one case, the assailant pledged allegiance to a terrorist group and in the other there are the all-too-familiar signs of post-traumatic stress disorder.
In both cases, however, we see a world trending toward chaos. This reality does not surprise you, and in fact you have likely come to expect it. One of our collective goals at The Equipped is that we would be a people who respond to brokenness with the tangible healing and restorative power of the Gospel. While both of these events leave behind a trail of wounded and grieving people, your God draws near to the grieving, and He does so through you.
“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds” (Ps 147:3).
“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” (Ps. 34:18).
Brokenness will mark our world until we slip the bonds of Earth. But you, as a follower of Jesus, are not defined by that brokenness. In fact, you are specifically designed to carry to healing power of a loving and compassionate God to those whose spirits are crushed.
Who in your world is crushed? Bind up their wounds this week.
The following article originally appeared in Thann’s “The Equipped” Weekly Newsletter. For more information on Thann’s weekly email, click here.