In the wake of the Paris attacks, Pope Francis referred to the actions of terrorists as “a piece…of a Third World War” (The Washington Examiner, November 14, 2015).

Last weekend’s carnage in Paris was devastating and sobering. Watching people suffer who are made in the image of the Almighty God (Genesis 1:26) should sadden everyone. The day after the attacks, the Islamic State (IS) redistributed a video that contained threats against France and “called on French Muslims to carry out attacks” (Reuters, November 14, 2015). The message to France was, “As long as you keep bombing you will not live in peace.

Ancient paths, found on every continent, were used by people living centuries ago to travel from place to place and trade their goods. These ancient pathways were the best route—or sometimes the only route—to take to arrive safely at the desired destination.

Once my sisters and I were visiting our parents with our families, pooling all of their grandchildren together, ages 18 months to six years. At the time, that made for seven children in all: six boys and only one girl, my niece Kyrstin. As all seven played, the six boys were teaming up, pretending to fight off some terrible, imaginary monster.

Unexpectedly and rapidly, the nightmare exploded across Paris, in bullets, bomb blasts, blood and death. It was late Friday night in Paris when the chilling reports began to come in. The world was shocked as news began to spread of the horrific, deadly attacks. We pray for France. We grieve for the victims. And we ask: Why did this happen? What comes next?