After Nashville School Shooting What Do We Do?
By Alex Murashko
Most people don’t know what to think, say, or feel after the horrific events in Nashville.
I agree with ministry partner Malachi O’Brien’s statement above given when asked about his reaction to the shooting in which three children and three adults were killed at Covenant School, a private Christian school Monday morning.
“In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.” (Matthew 6:9)
Something I came across early on Monday, after the tragedy, was a well-known pastor’s call for a national time of prayer. Pastor Jack Hibbs of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills plans to host a prayer service at his church on Wednesday evening that will be livestreamed on the church’s website and various other platforms.
“...if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14)
Not to be cliche or trite or stuck on Christianese, but these are the times to pray.
Why?
There is no answer for yesterday, today, or tomorrow other than Jesus.
Jesus is the solution!
A community vigil was held at Belmont United Methodist Church in the aftermath of a school shooting in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, March 27, 2023. PHOTO: John Bazemore / AP via CBN News
Our go-to answer to the Covenant School killing or any other crimes are not about political maneuvering or programs inspired by men alone. The answer to evil is to pray and seek the Lord. We are usually much better off if we go to Him first in prayer. God supplies those who choose to have a relationship with Him all that we need, including giving us the action steps that He wants us to take.
“What is crystal clear is that this was a targeted attack against a Christian school and the pastor of a church,” Malachi told Think Eternity. “What is also clear is that it was demonic and evil. Families are destroyed forever.
“So what do we do? We lament. We forgive. We seek God's face. We protect our children. We address the elephant in the room. Evil unhinged points to the beginning of the end of days and from within we cry "Maranatha"... Come, Lord Jesus, come.”
Think Eternity founder Matt Brown said, “My heart is so saddened to hear about the shooting at Covenant high school, as well as other tragedies around the nation the past few days – storms in Mississippi, an attack on Rand Paul’s staffer last night, and a fire at a migration facility. So much tragic loss of precious lives.”
Matt said he appreciates the insights of Pastor Erik Reed, who shared his sermon points for Sunday. Matt has added a few points to the list:
We should mourn with those who mourn.
We should remember that Scripture tells us the world will hate us, even for doing good.
We should pray for those who persecute us.
We should preach the gospel even when the day is evil.
We are called to long for the King’s return, because one day God will wipe every tear from our eyes, and we will be in the perfect peace, joy and glory of heaven with our Heavenly Father – and with those loved ones we’ve lost who are in the Lord.
“Jesus isn’t immune to suffering. He is the suffering servant and calls us to know that this world is not our home, but that we are on mission here to bring the goodness, forgiveness, hope of eternity, and glory of God to a world that is completely and utterly lost without it,” Matt said.
It’s hard to process what happened in Nashville on Monday. After I heard about the shooting, I jumped to prayer as soon as possible.
Man can’t fight evil alone.
“...that you would walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.
For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.” (1 Thessalonians 2:12,13)
It is only with God that we can conquer the dark and thrive in His Kingdom.
Alex Murashko is a lead writer for Thinke. He highlights Christ followers within the media industry at Media on Mission. Find Murashko on various social media sites such as Twitter and Instagram.