This past week we were all shocked at the senseless violence which occurred in Aurora, Colorado.

As our hearts and prayers go out to the victims for their recovery and to grief stricken families, we are perplexed how someone could commit such a horrendous act. As we discover more about the alleged gunman, we are amazed to discover his background and academic achievements. We long to know the reason for why he would do something which is beyond any justification. In moments like these we find ourselves filled with revenge, frustration and hatred. We know that as followers of Jesus we must not let such emotions rule our thoughts but we struggle to transition toward forgiveness, compassion and hope. It is only through the peace of God and the work of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit that we can find rest for our minds and souls in the aftermath of such moments. This past Sunday as we prayed I listed several thoughts for our consideration and I want to share them with you again. Most of these thoughts are mine but some are adapted from Timothy Merrill the editor of Homiletics Magazine. I appreciated his timely email last week following this event to aid pastors in their preaching response. Let us remember that there is evil in our world. Sometimes evil is in the form of what the Apostle Paul describes as powers and principalities. Other times evil comes from the hand of one person whose sickness and trouble we now share. There is evil in this world but Jesus reminds us to take heart for I have overcome the world. Second we cannot live in fear. The reaction of many of us will be to avoid crowds. We must remember that ultimately we cannot protect ourselves from every risk. We cannot live in fear. God is not the author of fear and we must not live our lives in fear. Third, we must affirm that God is sovereign and in Gods sovereignty God granted free will to humanity. This free will sadly means there are terrible consequences to sinful actions. When Jesus was given the opportunity to explain a day of mass violence and an accident where innocent people died, he offered no explanation but encouraged us to concentrate on our relationship with God. Fourth when we experience violence we should be reminded to pray for those who live with this type of violence everyday. There are innocent people who live with death and violence as a way of life in our nation in so many nations around the world. Last, remember life is fragile. Hiding and grasping on to our lives is not the answer in light of this tragedy. The answer for the Christian is to live with faith and as a living sacrifice unto God. This is the real answer to the fear and uncertainty that accompanies our lives. Let us continue to pray for the victims, the community, the first responders, the families, our nation and yes even the alleged gunman. God give us mercy and grace for the living our days.