Morning by Morning, May 25 - Grieving for the Children, Turning to the Comforter
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Put Your thoughts in my mind and Your desires in my heart, as I begin my day embraced by my Father, centered in Christ, and filled with Your Holy Spirit. ...
The families and friends, the classmates and co-workers, in the community of the little town of Uvalde, not too far down the road from my community, are still heavy on my heart this morning. I can’t fully imagine their shock and grief as the facts settle into their minds and emotions that a young man went into their elementary school and intentionally took aim to shoot and kill young children and their teacher.
As I fumble for words for prayer, the slaughter of the innocents in the days Herod murdered the children of Bethlehem seeking to silence the voice and shut down the destiny of the Messiah of Israel comes to my heart:
“Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah:
‘A voice was heard in Ramah,
weeping and loud lamentation,
Rachel weeping for her children;
she refused to be comforted, because they are no more’”
(Matthew 2:16-18).
Violence and evil are nothing new in our broken and fallen world. And neither is our desperate need for our Savior and Comforter. When we allow You to come into our crises and allow Your love to draw out our grief, even in the freedom You give us to fully express our outrage at the cruelty of wicked choices made -- whether by Herod in Israel or a deranged young killer in Texas, evil does not have to have the last word and grief does not have to define the rest of our lives. In Your time and in Your way, even all the “weeping and loud lamentation,” even hearts that “refuse to be comforted” in the time of shock and disbelief at the tragedy, can draw us to You, to the only One who can truly comfort and truly heal.
That’s my prayer for the community of Uvalde, as well as for the communities and countries around our world enduring the cruelty of evil choices made in our broken and fallen world in desperate need of a Savior. And You are our Savior. You are the One who has overcome and empowers us to ultimately overcome all that would “steal and kill and destroy” in our lives (John 10:10).
As You said to Your disciples to prepare their hearts for the tragedies and evil of the world they would endure long ago, You continue to speak to us today: “I have said these things to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). I do pray for that peace that only You can give for all who are grieving beyond comfort today. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays
My friend, may you allow the One is our Savior and Comforter to embrace you and bring you through every tragedy and crises you may endure, joining in prayer for those going through it now, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friend!
Tommy Hays | Messiah Ministries
Messiah Ministries Mailing Address:
412 S. Adams Street #148
Fredericksburg, Texas 78624
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