It is hard for me to put into words how I feel about
the recent shootings of nine people who were in a Bible Study at Emanuel A.M.E.
Church. Something disallows me to feel
saddened although it is quite sad what happened. If I could ascribe an emotion to it the
closest one would be anger but even that is a stretch. I dare not call it hopeless resignation
although I do believe the atmosphere and tone within this country as of late
has been conducive to such an act of violence against blacks. Whether being killed in isolated incidents
across the country or in groups the overall devaluation of certain lives in
this country has become commonplace and has given birth to the slogan ‘Black
Lives Matter.” Certainly they do. All lives matter and we must be careful not
to esteem some more than the others.
There seemed, to me, to be an undertone that, perhaps,
the lives lost in that church mattered more than, say, the lives of Trayvon
Martin or Eric Garner and countless others because they were in prayer and not
perceived as thugs or having a spotty past.
Like I said I think the deaths of some have created an atmosphere that
black lives are targets across the board.
Before I could further entertain such thoughts I heard
Holy Spirit speak to me about what is really at stake. I heard him speak that God will not be
mocked. 21-year-old Dylann Roof was
there to mock God. He was there like a
wolf in sheep’s clothing in an attempt to prove that God cannot save those who
worship Him. He was there in an attempt
to mock those who believe and trust in God.
He was there to scatter the sheep– not just in Charleston, South Carolina
but throughout the body of Christ. He
was there to suppress the word of the Lord very much like the crucifixion of
Jesus was meant to be the end of what Jesus stood for and preached.
What the devil didn’t know then and doesn’t know now
in the person of Dylann Roof is precious in the sight of the LORD is the death
of his saints. (Psalm 116:15) Like the
recent martyrdom of the 21 Coptic Christians by ISIS those nine Christians
killed here in the United States died as martyrs worshipping the One true
living, Almighty God.
They are absent from this life and their bodies but
present with the Lord. Instead of
mocking God, Dylann Roof confirmed His word in 2 Timothy 3:12 Yea, and all that
will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution and nothing shall separate
them from God’s love. They have achieved
the ultimate victory; to die with a worship on their lips. Instead of disgracing them he has bestowed
upon them God’s honor.
He also awakened the body of Christ as a whole and has
reminded us to watch and pray. Surely we
are in the latter part of the last days and the sons of God are called upon to
decide without a doubt whether they are with God or if they are His enemies. With tribulation some will fall away from the
faith. The good thing is more will take
a stand and the Gospel of the Good News of Jesus Christ will spread like a
wildfire and even more than the devil counted on will catch the flame and burn ever
hotter for Jesus Christ.
