Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Our son lives in midtown Atlanta where, as you know, a few days ago another mass shooting occurred around the noon hour. Gratefully, at that time he and I were having lunch together in Newnan, Georgia. However, I did learn later that one of our grandsons had been in one of those “stay-in-place” buildings during the lockdown for safety sake. But unfortunately five precious souls were shot, one of them died, while the other four wounded victims were taken to the hospital, reportedly in serious condition.  Certainly, I am and have been praying for the family of the deceased, the wounded, their families, the hospital doctors and staff and the law enforcement officers as they are sought to bring the shooter to captivity.

According to one report, that mass shooting in Atlanta is the 188th mass shooting in 2023. These shootings and the rising crime rate all over all over the the country seems to show a nation adrift. In the final analysis, whether the shooting is the result of revenge, mental illness, disrespect and defunding of police, intentional disruption, domestic violence, gang related activities, protestors gone violent, breakdown of the home or whatever, the hurt and grief is the same-broken hearts.

Enough is enough! It is time all of us who love God and this country get involved in its well being while we still have a country.  Losing our country by default, not only seems like the cowardly thing,  but a betrayal of our freedom heritage.  While I certainly don’t have all the answers to our national deterioration, there are some things that seem rather obvious-reform the bail system, give attention to what’s happening at the borders, enhance mental illness options, support and fund law enforcement, refocused on the importance of the home, provide affordable housing for those in need, elect public officials who are willing to work together to address the real issues facing this nation and an insistent citizenry.

Not long ago, a minister was asked on television why the crime problem is so bad in America?” His answer was that the three great deterrents to crime in our history have all been devalued — God, the home and the police. When God is devalued, everything else loses its value. When the home is devalued, the value system itself breaks down. And when the police are devalued, we are seeing the results of that in big-time shootings and endless crimes.  But in spite of it all, there is still hope, God says, “If my people, who are called by my name humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land” (ll Chronicles 7:14).