Prayer for the Week: Grief and hopelessness can leave the human soul barren. O Holy God, the events of this past week make us once again feel as if goodness and love have lost their power. Your most precious gift, the gift of life, has been devalued and destroyed. Our emotions are a mix of rage and bewilderment, sadness and defeat, fear and righteous indignation. We want to do something, but it feels as if this story of violence continues to spin out of our control. Forgive us, O Merciful God, where we have allowed despondency to push aside our faith. Let us hear again your gift to the world who strongly confronted those who might make a little one stumble. O God who loves the little children of the world, we are allowing our children to stumble; we are allowing our children to live in fear; we are allowing our children to be killed. We cry out like Rachel, weeping for our children. We cry out to you, O Lord of Heaven and Earth, for hearts that are converted and convicted by the message of the cross – a message of a love that will sacrifice everything for the sake of the most vulnerable. You have called us to take up the cross, and as we begin our Lenten journey to Golgotha, we ask you to make the sacrificial love of Jesus more than a gift we accept, but a life we emulate. It is in his name that we pray. Amen.
MEN’S GATHERING
AT CRAMER RETREAT CENTER
TUESDAY
Dinner at 6:30pm — Study at 7:00pm
2 thoughts on “Ecclesiological Etchings: 02-19-18”
Sadness, and fear have been a reality that had almost become the new norm.. my heart has grown weary, but am encouraged by the bravery, and honesty of the kids in parkland. Their loss and fear has given way to new strength, and new resolve. May we learn from them through prayer and observation.
Amen! God is always at work despite us…