As tragedy rang out on New Years, my mind went were it normally goes: to Jesus. I thought about the families who lost their members, friends who experienced the chaos of the morning, a city that is no stranger to loss experiencing yet another crisis… In no way do I say these things as a pat, prepared answer. Jesus is the only hope for those gathered on Bourbon on January 1st. The promise of redemption and Heaven are always enough to sustain the hurting and panic stricken. New Orleanians are no different. 

People say just calling on the name of Jesus doesn’t bring the dead back. I think He would argue differently. They say those in grieving need more than the comfort of a Spirit. I know His comfort. It is richer and more complete than any found on earth. They say the Scriptures are sentimentality at best when we’re grieving. I believe differently. Having been hurt and experienced grief deeply before, the Scriptures held more rooted truth and sustenance for me than anything else. 

As our culture continues to degenerate, we will see more and more chaotic tragedies like this. This particular one was connected to ISIS. The large majority of Muslims will decry an attack like this. But a growing segment of their worldwide population is intent on making similar attacks more prevalent. Their escalated violence is more in line with historical interpretations of the Quran. 

I’ve quoted Breakpoint (the daily blog produced by the Colson Center) here before. This week they explained that often jihad is argued to mean “struggle,” but the historical meaning is more in line with “warfare.” The idea of groups like ISIS is growing. In the same avenue as their founder Mohammed, these groups are taking territory by force. I’ve read countless stories of Christians, churches and majority Christian villages being mowed down by Muslim terroristic groups. Sometimes there are warnings. Many times, however, these groups show up without any announcement and run roughshod over their victims in the most horrific means possible. 

I do not hate Shamsud-Din Jabbar, the driver of the truck on Bourbon or any other terroristic perpetrator. I loathe the destruction they cause. I grieve for the families their victims leave behind. But I don’t hate them. I expect them. I know we can enact enough laws to fill the capitol rotunda in Little Rock and we will still see horrible acts of violence like this. People who are on a first name basis with evil will always find ways around laws. Legal boundaries will never be tight enough to stop senseless acts of violence. Hatred doesn’t shape my heart, but it absolutely had its talons in the heart of Jabbar. No one who knows love could ever act like that. 

That’s why I say that Jesus will always be enough. I never want to offer that answer in a trite way like, “Jesus is enough, now get over it.” No, that statement must be backed up with all the compassion and love a Christ follower has to offer. We sit with the grieving, comfort them with the truth of redemption in Christ and offer them the hope of Heaven. We can’t bring back people killed by senseless violence, but we can turn the tide of hatred in the hearts of those who are still here. Again, that is why I continue to say Jesus is enough.

Thankful that our New Year’s here in Southwest AR did not begin in the same way as South LA, I understand that our own set of chaos set in motion by evil is present. Whatever it is you are fighting, grieving, or hoping for at the beginning of this new year, I pray Jesus will be at its center. Not as a figure of your imagination or a fanciful character of someone else’s thoughts, but the Jesus we see in the Word. He alone is able to still the storm, settle the chaos and tame the hatred that runs wild in so many hearts. Trust Him. He is always enough.