A Race Run, a Life Lost, a Call to Live

Charlie Kirk assassinated. Students killed in a school shooting. Today is 9/11. Some days and weeks are heavier than others. It’s jarring and frightening when the integrity of that which you believe in and stand up for are shaken and threatened. It forces tough questions, self-reflection, and a call to action.

The atrocities humanity is capable of is truly sobering. I found myself last night unsure what to feel. Sadness, fear, anger, all seemed a logical choice. It wasn’t until I hit my knees and pleaded for mercy over our Land and this world that I felt my heart rate begin to slow.

Charlie was a man who stood up for the truth. He was forward with his belief in Jesus. And he wasn’t afraid to face lies and hate head on with truth and love. That’s the single thing that got him killed.

We can’t help but ask the Lord, why? In the midst of hardship, it can be insensitive to simply role out the “God knows better than we do” line. But, friend – He does. That won’t bring back a husband to a widow or a father to kids, but it does give us hope. Hope against randomness. Hope against evil. Hope in an eternal future where Charlie is alive and better than ever.

See, Charlie ran his race. He stood toe-to-toe with the enemy and never for a second backed down. When things like these happen, it challenges us to look in the mirror. Do I have the courage to stand up for what I believe in? There is coming a day when we will give an account for how we lived our lives (Romans 14:12).

Charlie didn’t know yesterday was his day, but it was. And he has an account to give. He has a life of actions that show his belief. The challenge, today, is do you? If your life was called for right now, how’s your resume looking?

I get it, this is a hard question. You might be wanting to push back against me right now, I find myself even in my own spirit trying to find excuses for why I stayed silent, complacent, and on the sidelines.

Let this moment, the hardness and the darkness, serve as a stop sign for you. A comma in your story to pause and think about the way you’re living your life. As believers, we are called to be the light of the world (Matthew 5:14), we are called to put on the armor of God and stand firm (Ephesians 6:13), and we are called to go and share the Gospel of Jesus (Matthew 28:19-20).

Friend, evil is rampant. We can stick our head in the sand, self-medicate, and pretend like it isn’t so, but we’re only fooling ourselves. This isn’t meant to bring fear, it’s meant to stoke urgency and awareness. The darkness does not get the last word. We win in the end. In the Words of Jesus, “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

Don’t let the rawness slip away with eyes focused only inward. We are also called to pray for fellow believers (Ephesians 6:18). If you’ve never practiced praying for a stranger who believes in Jesus, now is the time. Pray for the believers in this country and in our world. Plead to the Lord that we would stand with courage to face trials, endurance to continue in the face of evil, and perseverance to walk as men and women of character all for the Glory of the Lord. In Jesus’ Name Amen.

RIP Charlie Kirk. Thank you for running your race.