Day 88 Profoundly Sad

I had to tear myself away from the television yesterday as word began to come through of the tragedy at the movie theatre in Colorado.  I remember watching with the same horror and fascination when the compound in Waco caught on fire, the tragedy at Columbine, the Oklahoma City bombing, the explosion of the space shuttle, the shooting in Arizona that injured Gabby Giffords and, of course, the planes flying into the twin towers on 9/11.  I cannot begin to imagine the horror and devastation felt, not just by the victims, but by the witnesses, the families and the survivors. 

Some of these events were accidents and some because of a misplaced religious/political fervor.  Possibly the saddest, to me, are those that occurred because someone was so lost in their own mind that they felt a compulsion to destroy other human beings.   They felt it was the only way for them to be seen, to come out of oblivion, for people to realize they existed. 

I'm sure lots will be said about gun control after yesterday.  I'm not against guns but I personally don't like them.  Guns, however, other than simply being the vehicle for the destruction the gunman chose to use in the theatre, had nothing to do with the tragedy.  He was obviously incredibly intelligent and determined to kill.  Without the guns, he would have used some other method, maybe fire or bombs and possibly a deadly gas which had the potention to kill even more.  I think at this point, no one has yet attempted to enter his boobytrapped apartment.   How sad that a mind with so much potential, that has been devoted to the study of the brain, could go so off course. 

I think the saddest of all is that we all have the potential to go off course at any time.  Maybe not to that extent and not in that way but, nevertheless, off course.  It reminds me how important it is to stay focused on God, to keep our mind and our eyes focused upward.  It is the only way we can stay on the path that we're meant to be on.  I know that God is the only answer. 

"Set your hearts (your mind and thoughts) on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.  Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things."  Colossians 3:1-2

Heavenly Father,
We ask today that you just wrap your loving and comforting arms around the people who are suffering after yesterday's tragedy.  Help them to know that You are there, loving, caring and healing their pain.  Help them especially to forgive, no matter how difficult.  We know that only by forgiving can we be forgiven. 
Father, so many of them have a long journey to healing as we all do.  Let us all draw closer to You as we work our way through healing, whether it be physical or emotional.  We can only make it with You there beside us.
We love You, Father.  We love you.
In Jesus'  precious name, the name above all names.
Amen