A Horrific Turning Point

There are moments in history that we never forget. We remember where we were, what we were doing, the car we were driving, the seat we were sitting in, even the food we were eating. We remember the people we were talking to. These moments define us. They mark shifts not only in our personal lives but often in society as a whole.

Most often, those moments are born out of tragedy. The joyful memories are etched warmly into our hearts, but the tragic ones are seared into our vision. For reasons only God fully understands, even years later a simple smell, a song, or a passing billboard can pull us back into those moments, reliving them as though they just happened.

Today was such a moment. The world watched as a young man’s life was taken on national television—an assassin’s bullet piercing his chest, his life cut short before our eyes. Instantly, his death became replayed over and over, from every angle, across every platform. He left behind a wife, small children, and a legacy of striving to make this world a better place.

Much like his name sake our nation is at a turning point. We must ask ourselves: what happens when free speech is assassinated? When those who claim to be a party of love and peace resort instead to violence? When an assassin’s bullet becomes the final word instead of respectful dialogue?

I pray that today will mark a true turning point. A time when we set aside hatred, bitterness, and division. When we can sit at the same table—different sides, but united as fellow Americans—to seek peace and understanding. Jesus Himself warned us that harboring hatred in our hearts is the same as murder (Matthew 5:21–22). And yet as a nation, we seem to ignore His words again and again.

My heart breaks tonight. I grieve for his family, for my country, for my brothers and sisters in Christ, and for a world that still yearns for freedom, truth, and peace. But even in sorrow, I cling to hope. Hope that justice will be served. Hope that peace will come to those who cry out for it. Hope that the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, will draw near to the brokenhearted.

We even pray for the man who pulled the trigger. We pray that before his own end comes, he will come to know the saving grace of Jesus Christ. We pray for those who rejoice in today’s tragedy—that the Lord would pierce their hearts with conviction. And above all, we pray for comfort. For we know this world is only temporary, and one day, for those in Christ, there will be a reunion in the presence of our Lord where sorrow and violence will be no more.

May the Lord bless you and keep you. May He make His face to shine upon you, and give you peace.

In Christ,
Justin Edwards
Founder, Executive Director
ICUMissions.org

Photo credit CBS News