How do we respond to Bondi?

On Sunday night, while we were in church reflecting on the world-changing love of Jesus who washed the feet of His enemy(ies), shots began to ring out in Bondi. By the end of the night Susan and I were glued to our TV in horror at what had unfolded. How do we respond to such an atrocity?

1. ‘This is not right!’ - Grieve

It is not right that hate should fuel such violence. It is not right that an ethnic group was victimised. It is not right in Bondi, or Australia or anywhere. It is not right that people were killed for their religion. It is not right that a father and son thought they were doing good and pleasing their ‘god’. It is not right that lives - young and old - were cut short like this.

I’ve been reading the Psalms this week. The writers often expressed their dismay at life events. I read, “ruthless people are trying to kill me… Let evil recoil on those who slander me” and “My heart is in anguish within me… horror has overwhelmed me” (Psalms 54:3,5; 55:4,5). It is healthy to grieve and bring our dismay to the Lord in prayer. It is right to empathise with those in greater grief than us – especially the Jewish community and the families of those killed and injured.

2. ‘God is still on the throne!’ - Pray

However, we do not grieve in despair. Our God still rules. He oversees our lives, our world, and our universe. He hates evil and, in His gospel, has a profound solution to it.

If a father and his son in Bondi thought that they were improving the world through hate, they were very wrong. In contrast, THE Father and THE Son acted to overthrow evil in love – the love demonstrated at the cross of Christ. Theirs is a love for enemies – even you and me.

We can trust God. We can pray to Him. “Cast your cares upon the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.” (Psalm 55:22).

3. ‘Come Lord Jesus Come!’ - Long for better

This is our cry. Events like Bondi make us long for Jesus’ return to make all things right. We long for Jesus to judge evil and to wipe away our tears.

May this Christmas help us love Jesus even more. ‘Come Lord Jesus, come!’

May we be diligent in inviting others to join us for the Christmas festival and our Christmas services. Our world needs Jesus so much.

Grace and peace,
Mark