I am asking all of us to take time today and pray in silent reflection for the children, the parents, the staff and the community in Minnesota in regard to the heinous shooting yesterday. Take a moment and share your thoughts with God.
We have witnessed so many of these tragic events. As someone said, thoughts and prayers are no longer enough. But, for most of us, our prayers are our armor in a world filled with too much hate. Never give up on prayer, please. Our faith is the cornerstone to a better Way. A relationship with God is all that is necessary to live into God’s creation with love.
I heard a priest yesterday try to explain where God was in the tragedy. God was with those children, with those who died and those in the hospitals, those parents, those doctors and nurses, and that community. God was also with the shooter.
We ask why would God allow these things to happen. A reasonable question. But God does not control us. God is with us. That loving relationship does not control our flawed impulses, our anger, our hostility to others. We were gifted freewill. Far too often that gift is used to harm others. Our lives are fragile.
How can we assure those parents that their children our safe? We really can’t. Butwe can assure them as well as everyone else is that God is with us always and God’s love is everlasting. Our relationship with God and with each other is based in love for one another. That love is needed to be nurtured and allowed to grow.
Please reach out to those innocent children in your prayers and send them your love. Thank God for the comfort and love we all share and extend it to all you meet.
We cannot hide in fear of hatred. We are impowered by the love of God to confront hatred. The division in our world each day breeds more hatred. May the loving relationship we share with God give us the strength to subdue the anger, the hostility and the hatred in our lives.
Those children were in church learning to pray. I ask all of us to take a moment to close our eyes and picture those children, with clasped hands praying to God for peace and love to fill their lives.
May the blessings of God’s love be with all of you.
PastorJohn Stephenson
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