Shattering news accounts of the life-stealing, body-breaking bombs at the Boston Marathon monopolize national and international media. People everywhere have been galvanized to prayer, which is not only the right response – but at times the only possible response.

Sadly, the tragedy started long ago. It started when Americans stood back and let small special interest groups push prayer out of schools; tear the Ten Commandments off walls; change the focus of Christmas from a very real Jesus to an imaginary Santa, and swap Jesus’ very real death and resurrection story on Easter for a make-believe Easter bunny and funky dyed eggs.

And it started when we began calling babies inside their mother’s wombs “tissue” or “fetuses” rather than living, unborn children. Calling abortion “choice,” instead of murder. Do only women have the legal right – the choice – to kill someone? If it’s acceptable to yank a living baby out of its mother and snip its spinal cord with scissors, what’s wrong with murder? At what age does it suddenly become wrong and tragic to take a life that God created?

If there is no God, there is no absolute standard for law, for right and wrong. Atheist serial killer Israel Keyes, who entertained himself by murdering more than 10 people, was asked why he raped and killed. He responded, “Why not?”

Yes, let’s pray for the victims, their families, and those impacted by the Boston bombing. But let’s make sure our own hearts are so filled with good that there’s no room for evil. And let’s bring God back to America. The Christian faith and foundations made this nation great. Let’s do our part to keep her that way.