Pray for Boston

I'm sure by now you've all heard the tragic news of the bombings that occurred at the finish line of the Boston Marathon today. 

Events like this for some reason stick with me. I can't turn off the news and I can't stop thinking about it.  It's not that it makes me fearful of things that could happen to me, it's more that I can't shake the sadness for those affected but these terrible acts.  

Another thing, and I know I will be in the minority in this but for some reason, along with the victims, I have this strange not really compassion but some feeling I can't fully name for the people who commit these horrible crimes. I always seem to find myself thinking what happened in this persons life that led them to this point.  At one point they were an innocent child much like my Maddox and Addison.  Then something happened.  They experienced something tragic themselves, they have some untreated mental illness, they let the Evil One take over...the list goes on and on.  It's heartbreaking to see all of the pain and hurt caused by these people who have somewhere on their journey taken the turn that lead them down the roads that end in these horrific events. 

Our world is filled with so much darkness and despair and I hate it. I hate that innocent men, women and children are killed daily worldwide because of senseless violence.  I hate that our world, God's creation that he said was good, is so war torn.  I hate that Satan has so much control over so many people.  I hate that violence is the norm my children will grow up in.  I hate that people think guns and more war and violence is the answer.  I hate that that all of this stuff exists for me to hate.  It all just makes my heart ache. 

As Christians, we know how this will all turn out in the end.  We know who wins but that doesn't make any event like this easy to deal with.  It still hurts and its still unbelievable when these horrendous things occur.  

Just like when any other tragedy like this happens my prayers are with all of those involved.  I pray God will bring a peace that surpasses all understanding.  I pray He will bring healing both physical, emotional and spiritual.  And I pray, as naive and cliche as it sounds, that God will bring physical peace to this violent world we live in.  I long for the day when there will be no more violence, no more gun, no more hate, no more killing, and no more evil!!  Lord come quickly!!