I have struggled these past weeks to know how to pray for the tragedies which confront me every time I turn on the tv, internet or radio. Every news bulletin has images of crashed planes, talk of bodies, pictures of wounded, bleeding people and among them little children. The horror of mans inhumanity to man is constantly before us and it is hard to take in and to know how to pray. Each of those people whether perpetrators or victims are and were our fellow travellers on this planet - and yet tragedy has been their lot. Violent deaths for many, dreadful wounds for others, for many the loss of loved ones. How can we view pictures of children crying for a dead mother, a father grieving for his four dead sons, the loss of children returning home with their grandfather, eminent professionals gone, honeymooners young lives cut short - without feeling within our selves a deep sadness, even a terrible grief. Can we picture Jesus - walking among the debris of those crashed planes weeping for those lost lives. So many did not know Him and the price He had paid for them. Can we picture Him standing by the bedside of the dying child, longing to carry the anguish of the parents as they see the life of their loved one ebb away - Jesus weeping - because they never knew Him. They do not know the price He paid. See Him weep as He walks among the rubble of a home, the bodies of a family there all lost, because they never knew Him, they did not know He had paid the price. Jesus was there when three Israeli boys were kidnapped by their enemies and then so cruelly shot dead, He sees the grieving loved ones - but they do not know HIm, they do not know the price He paid. Jesus was there when the Arab boy was captured and set alight - they did not know Him - they did not know He paid the price. A planeload of people chatting, sleeping, laughing full of expectation when a cruel weapon pierces the metal and their plane becomes a coffin - Jesus was there - How many knew Him? Doubtless there were some who knew He paid the price others went to their death never knowing, never realising, never understanding the price He paid for them. Jesus walks among the debris and weeps as those at the site plunder the bodies, a phone here, a ring there, money also. What good will it do them?- they do not know their Saviour. They do not know He paid the price. In the face of such evil, how are we to pray? I for one have no easy answers, I have found it overwhelming. We can pray for comfort for those who mourn, healing for those wounded, forgiveness for the perpetrators, wisdom for the leaders, endurance for those whos job it is to identify body parts, skill for the doctors and nurses working with the wounded, endurance for those cleaning up and above all salvation for those living who yet do not know that Jesus has paid the price. Brothers and sisters in these past days we have seen the very ugly, brutal face of human sin and its consequences and we need in all humility not to judge but to say each one - there but for the grace of God go I. The prayer we need on our lips along with all the others is thank you Jesus, our Lord our Saviour for Your work on the Cross, for carrying our sins - thank you that we do know You and the price You paid. Marian Klitzke
Posted on: Sat, 26 Jul 2014 10:47:35 +0000