As all of you know, or at least my American readers definitely know, a shooting took place recently inside a movie theater in Colorado. A 24-year-old man, James Holmes, shot and killed 12 people and injured at least 70 during his shooting spree inside the theater right before the new Batman movie started.
My heart goes out to those people who were inside the theater that night, as well as to the families and friends of those who were tragically killed. I ask that we all take time to pray for those traumatized by the encounter, for those healing in the hospitals and for the loved ones of those who lost their lives. But there’s someone else I want to ask you to pray for, someone I haven’t heard anyone mention when it comes to prayer.
I ask that during your prayers for these victims, you take a moment to pray for the villain in this story — James Holmes. I can understand how people may hate him or want revenge or think he needs the worst punishment imaginable. I’m not saying he shouldn’t be punished for his actions. But I am saying he is still a child of God. In my opinion, he needs more prayer than anyone else involved in this tragedy. It’s obvious, in my mind, that James is lost and needs to be found.
I ask that you take a moment to pray that God sends people into James’ life to reach him and show him the Truth. And even though it may be difficult to fathom, I also ask that you pray for his forgiveness — that he realizes his mistakes, repents and is saved so that he may rejoice with us in Heaven. Because not a single one of us deserves eternal life, but Jesus has paid all our debts — even James’.