What a week it has been as I find time to write this article. The Horrific Act of Terrorism at the Boston Marathon, with three lives taken, and thousands if not millions once again had our sense of safety and security in our homeland shaken. Then on Wednesday night, an explosion that rocked the Central Texas City of West, with the number killed yet to be determined, but again thousands not only had their lives turned upside down, but we as a nation were reminded of the variety of disasters that come into our world. Here we are just days away from having our new facility completed and turned over to us for our final preparations and use, and we are running around trying to make all the last minute decisions and purchases, and then we were reminded of what the purpose of church is all about. It is to be a safe landing place for those who are hurt and wounded and shaken. It is to be people of the Covenant of God, that knows our purpose is about changing lives and providing true hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
I could not help but think back to 9/11 and a prayer lifted up by Rev. Max Lucado on behalf of our nation. I take the liberty to quote portions of the prayer and I hope you will pause long enough to pray that prayer and allow God to begin healing our brokenness once again.
Dear Lord,
We're still hoping we'll wake up. We're still hoping we'll open a sleepy eye and think, What a horrible Dream. But we won't, will we, Father? What we saw was not a dream. Planes did gouge towers. Flames did consume our fortress. People did perish. It was no dream and, dear Father, we are sad.
We are sad, Father. For as the innocent are buried, our innocence is buried as well. We thought we were safe. Perhaps we should have know better. But we didn't.
And so we come to You. We don't ask You for help; we beg You for it. We don't request it; we implore it. We know what You can do. We've read the accounts. We've pondered the stories and now we plead, Do It Again, Lord. Do it again.
Remember Joseph? You rescued him from the pit. You can do the same for us. Do it again, Lord. Remember the Hebrews in Egypt? You protected their children from the angel of death. We have children too, Lord. Do it again....You changed Daniel from a captive into a king's counselor. You took Peter the fisherman and made him Peter an Apostle. Because of You, David went from leading sheep to leading armies. Do it again, Lord, for we need counselors today, we need apostles, and we need leaders. Do it again, dear Lord.
Most of all, do again what You did at Calvary. What we saw here, you saw there on that Friday. Innocence slaughtered, goodness murdered. Mothers weeping. Evil dancing. Just as the ash fell on our children, the darkness fell on Your Son. Just as our towers were shattered, the very Tower of Eternity was pierced. And by dusk, heaven's sweetest song was silent, buried behind a rock.
But You did not waver, O Lord. You did not waver. After three days in a dark hole, You rolled back the rock and rumbled the earth and turned the darkest Friday into the brightest Sunday. Do it again, Lord. Grant us “another” Easter.
We thank you for unity....and we thank you for these hours of prayer. The Enemy sought to bring us to our knees and succeeded. He had no idea, however, that we would kneel before You. And he has no idea what You can do...Do it again, Lord. Do it again. Through Christ, Amen.
See you in your place of worship and service and prayer,
