Terror means extreme fear, so a terrorist is a person who causes extreme fear. How about using another word? How about thugs, murderers, vermin, killers, evil? I cannot understand people whose only purpose in life is to kill others. They strike without warning against the unarmed, the helpless, the unsuspecting. Their souls must be dark indeed. My heart goes out to the people of France and everywhere else in the world where lawlessness and injustice cause pointless suffering and grief.
Vespers is an old-fashioned word and so is Evensong but they are beautiful words; words of peace and sort of tucking in the day. Prayer at evening and morning is a good way to end or begin a day; it is a strong defense against evil. Just before sunset last night, my trusty camera and I wandered my back yard and these pictures show just how far autumn has encroached upon summer. The trees are trusty signposts of fall weather.
The backyard maple did not have the usual beautiful leaves this fall. They turned a bit orange then decided it wasn’t worth the effort and turned loose from the tree. However, now I can see a squirrel nest high in its branches. Even bare limbs have a beauty of their own.
If you squint and peer closely, you can see a robin near the upper left of this tree. Doubtlessly, he is enjoying the last rays of the setting sun, warming his feathers. I hope he is considering a Southern journey. Robins sometimes have a poor sense of timing, waiting until the last minute to fly out of winter’s way and coming back far too early in the spring.
But, high in the sky, heedless of such things far below them, a jet streaks off to parts unknown (at least they are unknown to me.) What is its destination? What are the thoughts of people on board? I watch them soar overhead with a prayer for their safety and peace and a happy landing.
“Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means; The Lord be with you all” IIThessalonians 3:16.
Terrorism is just unfathomable. How can anyone murder innocent people like that? It strikes at any time and has no borders. So wicked. I cannot help but think of 1 John 5:19. We know who is behind all this. We will keep praying for God’s Kingdom to come and for His will to be done.
You are right, Sharon. We must keep praying. Prayer is a strong defense and, as an old-time radio preacher used to say, “God is still on His throne and prayer changes things.”