It seems so strange for us in the West that people seek to murder the maximum number of total strangers (including innocent women and children) while blowing themselves up. Our western minds cannot grasp the total depravity of such actions. But we who grew up in a civilization grounded in the light of the Jewish and Christian scriptures perceive the world through different glasses. We have a sense of hope and we believe in the future. We love life and everything that it has to offer. We are optimistic of the future. Even those of us who were born into poor immigrant families hope to better ourselves and enjoy our time on this earth. We dream of marrying and having children, seeing them grow up to become doctors, lawyers and even politicians. These are the dreams of even the atheist and agnostic who are increasingly being churned up by our universities; institutions originally founded by pious men so that everyone could read the scriptures - now unfortunately, these are populated by atheist professors who think they are wise, but are fools. These are not my words, but those of the Creator of the Universe (Rom 1:22).
Most of us believe in a life after our time on earth is over. Jihadists hope to attain better life in the hereafter if they commit these heinous crimes. They have been convinced that the only assurance of entering into paradise if through this terrible act of self-sacrifice. It does not help that corrupt and morally bankrupt regimes (who are too cowardly to involve themselves in open war with the West) manipulate them to become their proxy swords and tanks; and bank roll these criminals by providing generous payouts to the families of these infamous murderers. Sadly, they are not going to paradise as they like to think, but instead to eternal damnation. How terrifying it must be to close your eyes in this world and instantly open them in the next and find yourself in the pit of hell. To find that everything you believed in was nothing but a lie and to know that those whom you love are also destined for this miserable place. But there is no way to go back and tell them. One thing is certain, whether we are believers in God or not, all of us will one day meet our Maker (Heb 9:27).
Pray for those who lost loved-ones in Brussels. Pray for those who are related to the bombers. Pray that you and your loved ones are not caught unaware when your time of death comes. Whether under tragic devised means as our brethren in Brussels or comfortably in your own bed, pray that you may be found innocent and worthy to enter the kingdom of heaven because our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ paid the penalty for you in the gruesome and cruel Cross of Calvary (Rom 6:23, Jhn 19). It is because of his sacrifice that we choose to love life and have it more abundantly (Jhn 10:10).