Munich

Romans 8:6, 7 The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. (NIV)

I was in High School when it happened and it deeply shocked me. I couldn’t believe that Arab terrorists had managed to penetrate the Olympic campus in Munich, Germany, and subsequently murdered 11 Israeli athletes. The Olympic Games were meant to be above all of that hatred. Nations were supposed to set aside their differences and compete for medals, instead of being at war. It was a sacred time for all of humanity to showcase the best, fastest, and strongest in the world. But thirty five years ago, on September 5, 1972, all of these noble ideals were destroyed forever.

Ever since then, we’ve all lived under the shadow of terrorism and had to deal with fear. At times, there seems to be no security and that religious madmen threaten our civilization. Bomb plots and terrorist conspiracies still abound. Even today, three people have been arrested in Frankfurt, Germany, for conspiring to blow up a US Airbase. Those sinful minds idolize and worship a savage deity, and as the scripture says today: they are hostile to God.

I don’t know what motivates people into thinking that killing others is a glorious way of honoring God. I don’t understand what goes on in their lives that make them want to terrorize the world in order to appease their tyrannical deity. The god that they worship is not the God that I know. The destructive deity that they zealously proclaim is no part of the Trinity that I love, adore, and acclaim.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are the Prince of Peace and we pray that Your mighty peace can be experienced by everyone on earth. In times like these, we regret man’s inhumanity to man. Help us, as Your disciples, to counter terrorism with faith, hope, and love. Grant us the courage to express and share our Christian faith, so that others may be touched by Your Holy Spirit and changed for all of eternity. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.