No bullet can kill our hope
In one crack of a sniper’s rifle, his life was taken. For millions, the news sparked a global tsunami of shock and horror. For others, the news was met with glee and celebration, and the demented chimed in with names of others upon whom they wished the same fate.
The assassination of Charlie Kirk came on the heels of the slaughter of 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska in Charlotte, North Carolina. Videos of the attack showed other passengers walking by, turning away, ignoring her suffering as her lifeblood leaked away onto a dirty rail train floor. The demented rushed to the defense of the murderer, refusing to condemn him or to offer support for the victim.
As a mother with children the ages of Charlie and Iryna, these stories are unbearable to me. As a person of faith with spiritually-attuned eyes and ears, I have long felt and seen the rising tide of evil, knowing full well its source and inevitable end—the murder of those who disagree.
In times of great distress and danger, the heart must return to foundational truths. Today, that truth starts here: the spiritual world is binary. There is good, and there is evil. There is a God, and there is a devil. There is heaven, and there is hell, and every soul will go to one of these two places after death. The eternal fate of each of us is determined by the choice that we make while we’re alive. We choose to follow God, or we choose to follow Satan.
Those who choose to put their faith in Jesus Christ know that this life is not all there is. We know that death is not the worst thing that can happen to us. We live, assured that our best and truest life is yet to come. This knowledge gives meaning and purpose to our days, for we are living and working for something and Someone far greater than ourselves. Death, then, is simply the gateway that will take us to heaven.
As we await that glorious day, we give ourselves to the unique and individual things we’ve been called to do. In all things, whether performing lowly household tasks, serving clients, performing a lifesaving surgery, or helping the homeless, we know that we’re serving Lord Christ.
This is how Charlie Kirk lived. He knew the one who’d saved him, and he gave his life in service to his God. He knew his mission, and he knew who he was living for; he’d decided in advance that it was worth dying for, and so he did.
Just as evil exulted at the news of Charlie’s death, far more did evil exult when the Christ that Charlie loved was crucified. Yet nails and spears could never kill his soul, and after three days, he rose again, triumphant over death forever.
The death of Christ brought life everlasting. What Satan meant for destruction, God meant for good. As always, evil overplayed its hand and ushered in its own downfall. Today, countless millions of people have joined the family of God through the death and resurrection of Jesus.
What an assassin meant for evil this week, God surely means for good. With the eyes of faith, I foresee a day when revival sweeps the land; in particular, upon the college campuses that Charlie loved. There are many things that are kept hidden from the eyes and ears of evil, for if it knew what its heinous deeds would eventually accomplish, it would stay its murderous hand.
It is true that evil can bring suffering and separation, yet its power remains limited. The bullet that killed Charlie did not kill his soul. It could not kill his eternal hope, and it could not steal his eternal destination. It could only usher him there.
No bullet can kill our hope, either. It can never steal our eternal destination. It can only usher us there. This is why we do not despair, for we believe, along with the Psalmist, that God has numbered our days. It was his very fingers that knitted us together in the wombs of our mothers. In that secret place, his eyes saw our unformed parts. He knew, even then, our names.
His loving thoughts toward us, David said, cannot be numbered, so great is the sum of them. They are more, in fact, than the grains of sand upon the shore. So deeply and completely we are loved, you and me. In this extravagant, eternal love is all the reason we shall ever need to cast our lot with him.
To the doubters who say there is no God or Satan, no heaven or hell, this is what I want you to consider. If I am wrong and the Bible is untrue, then I have lost nothing. If you are wrong and the Bible is true, then you will lose everything.
If you can scarce believe it, just bring the smallest scrap of faith (a mustard seed, Jesus said, will be enough) and ask him to prove it. His heart is soft and open to honest, doubting seekers, and he will show you. Then keep your eyes and ears open and see what happens. On your behalf, I will ask Lord Christ to do this. Amen.
With thanksgiving for the life and example of Charlie Kirk. May his death never be in vain. Until they are reunited, may God grant comfort and peace to his family and all who loved him.