Praying for a Community in Mourning

Sunday morning retuning:  How quickly we forget God’s sufficiency?  He gave us His Son, so will surely give us all things.  Suffering from Spiritual Amnesia?  Remember Jesus alone provides.

While we were worshipping the Lord at North-Mar on Sunday, just south of our little burg of Warren, Ohio, six families were weeping having lost a son or daughter.  I have to admit that when I heard about it later that day I was sad to hear that these young people had lost their lives, but it did not grip my heart.  Forgive me, Lord.  As I heard people mentioning that it had become national news, CNN was the first I heard had covered the story, I realized I needed to pay more attention to this tragedy.

I googled and found a couple local articles and began to read.  That’s when it really hit me.  This could have been my son.  In the list of young people I saw the names of two fourteen year-old victims, eighth grade students in Warren.  My oldest son is in the eight grade.  The gravity of this accident began to sink in.

We spoke about this during our normal Tuesday morning meetings as a staff and learned that a partner in ministry with us who is deeply embedded in the community where many of these young people lived is ministering to their families.  It became immediately apparent that I needed to ask you to pray and that we could do so with profound clarity.

I texted this brother and received a quick reply back from him.  We need to pray for God to provide financially and spiritually.  There is a need for assistance in covering funeral expenses.  (What a terrible thing to have to do at such an awful time.  A fund has been set up for donations.)  There is also a need for peace this world can not give. [John 14:27]  I assured my brother we would pray so please join me, and let us together trust that God will somehow bring some good out of this seemingly senseless heartbreak.

One of things I reflected on as we prayed was how often as we are worshipping God, enjoying His unmerited goodness to us, they are others who are weeping for any number of reasons.  We have hope, and we must not keep it to ourselves.  People around us are lonely, hurting and dying.  I am trying to take from this episode the sobering reminder of the reality of death.

Here in Warren, there is a community just beginning to come to terms with a great and unexpected loss.  Friends far away, please pray for us to do what we can when we can over these next few days and weeks.  Friends near, pray for our neighbors who are grieving, dazed and confused, and then act as the Spirit leads.

Jesus, tears are falling, hearts are breaking, how we need to hear from You.  Spirit, bring comfort and peace in the midst of this tragedy and draw hearts to the Father as You bring the comfort only You afford.  

In Christ,

Pastor Timothy