Fear Not

Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10

I’m not afraid—but like millions of others, I’m heartbroken and stunned by recent, tragic, bloody events. I’m sickened and angry by the growing evil, hatred, and violence overtaking our society. It shouldn't surprise me because I read the Bible, which reveals what lies in the heart of mankind.

"The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? But I, the LORD, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve”. Jeremiah 17:9

"For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person”. Mark 7:21-23

Yet, I find myself still in disbelief and dismay over how dark things have become. I'm crying and grieving over the senseless, ruthless deaths of innocent people I’ve never met; it feels personal. In particular, the two most recent murders.

Iryna Zarutska, a 23-year-old Ukrainian woman who escaped her war-torn country for a better life here in America. Last month, on her way home from work at the local pizzeria, she boarded a North Carolina light rail train, quietly took her seat, and began looking at her phone. While minding her own business, a man sitting behind her took out his pocketknife, stood over Iryna, and savagely stabbed her to death. After being arrested, we learned that he was mentally deranged, with 14 prior arrests for crimes ranging from assault and firearms possession to felony robbery and larceny dating back to 2007. Yet he was still allowed to walk free among society. 

Iryna’s murder was caught on the train’s video surveillance cameras. One image of Iryna, I can’t get out of my mind. After the animal repeatedly stabbed her in the neck for no reason, she looked up at his face in shock, horror, and confusion at what was happening, as if to say, “Why are you doing this?”

As evil and shocking as Iryna’s murder is, what horrified me most was the bystanders sitting around Iryna, who did nothing to help her. After the brutal attack, Iryna sat with her face in her hands, knees tucked to her chest, crying, bewildered, and shaking. Weakened by the loss of blood from her multiple stab wounds, she slumped down to the floor. Soon, bright red streams of blood poured out of her body all over the floor. During all of this, several people sitting around Iryna, her “neighbors,” just looked at her and then looked the other way. Finally, one man came to her aid, but it was too late.

I will never forget Iryna’s face. I don’t think America will either. And I hope when the authorities give her murderer his just punishment that he remembers her face and begs Jesus for forgiveness.

The Bible is very clear about how we should respond to and deal with those who shed innocent blood. ”Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for in the image of God has God made man". Genesis 9:6 (Exodus 21:12-14, Numbers 35:30-31, Deuteronomy 17:6, Romans 13:4, 1 Peter 2:14, Colossians 3:25)

On September 10, Charlie Kirk, a 31-year-old devoted follower of Jesus, husband, and father of two babies, an entrepreneur, and founder of the largest youth organization in America, Turning Point USA, was viciously shot to death by a sniper's bullet in front of thousands of people. 

Charlie was a good man who treated everyone kindly and fairly, even those who hated and disagreed with him. He was a voice of truth and a staunch defender of life, faithfully doing what God had called him to do—speaking truth to young people to inspire them to love God, get married, have children, and live for something greater than themselves. 

How could anyone have a problem with that? I don’t know, but many people hated him for it.

Charlie Kirk loved God and loved America, and he truly made a difference in our country. He made it better. Those who hate God and hate America hated Charlie because of his love for God and country. That’s why they assassinated him. They hated the truth he was proclaiming because it was changing hearts and minds and setting people free. 

In their attempt to silence Charlie’s voice, they only made it louder. They thought his message would die with him, but now it’s spreading like wildfire.

Once again, as evil, unprovoked, and senseless as Charlie’s murder is, I’m most horrified by those who hate him with such vitriol that they wanted him dead and now celebrate his assassination. I’m utterly appalled. I can’t believe it. Who would do that? How can they do that? It makes me so angry. It’s the same people who hate President Trump and tried to kill him. They hate them, and those of us who support them simply because of a difference in belief. I simply cannot comprehend it. Until I go back to God's word. Jeremiah 17:9: "The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked."

"For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person”. Mark 7:21-23

Just as God is real and uses people for good, like Charlie Kirk, the devil is real and uses people for evil, like those who murdered Iryna and Charlie.

Silence in the face of evil is evil itself. We’re called by God to hate evil and to speak out against it.

Psalm 97:10: "Let those who love the LORD hate evil, for he guards the lives of his faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked". 

Proverbs 8:13: "All who fear the LORD will hate evil. Therefore, I hate pride and arrogance, corruption and perverse speech". 

Amos 5:15: "Hate evil, love good; maintain justice in the courts". 

Ephesians 5:11-14: "Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. But whatever is exposed by the light comes to light, and whatever comes to light is light". 

These passages call believers in Jesus to actively expose evil and bring it into the light, showing that darkness cannot stand in the face of God's light.

All the terrible tragedies of our time, the school shootings and the killing of Iryna and Charlie, are sadly nothing new. Unfortunately, evil and murder have been with us since the devil deceived Eve in the garden and Cain killed Abel. But it feels like it’s getting darker, and the evil attacks are hitting closer to home. Some have said this will be a turning point for our country and for Christians. I pray for that.

I’m heartbroken and longing for Jesus to return soon. I grieve for the innocent victims of abortion, for the families of Iryna and Charlie, and for our country. However, I do not grieve without hope because I know, just as Charlie and his wife Erika do, that Jesus is still on the throne and will one day return to make all things right.

The only comfort and peace we have in this sorrow is knowing that God is sovereign over everything. He has a purpose in allowing all this, and He will ultimately work it out for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. What the devil means for evil, God means for good.

Charlie and his wife, Erika, believe this too. And that faith is the only way Erika will be able to carry on without Charlie and raise their two babies to live as faithfully and courageously as their daddy did.

It is only by faith in Jesus Christ that any of us can be saved and secure eternity in heaven. It is only in trusting and obeying God’s word that we will be able to carry on with courage and fight the good fight of faith.

We have a choice to make—look away from the rising tide of evil and violence or follow Charlie's example—raise our voices in truth and offer hope and help.

Overcome evil with good.

I leave you with more of God’s encouraging and enduring word:

“We are hard pressed on all sides, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always consigned to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. And in keeping with what is written, “I believed, therefore I have spoken,” we who have the same spirit of faith also believe and therefore speak, knowing that the One who raised the Lord Jesus will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in His presence. 

All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is extending to more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow, to the glory of God.

Therefore, we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, yet our inner self is being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory that is far beyond comparison. So, we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:8-18

Do not fear. Do not lose heart. Fix your eyes on Jesus. He’s coming back one day. Let’s be ready.

In Christ’s love,

Mara Petro