Hear My Prayer

Stunned.

Amazed.

Incredulous.

Those are the words reeling through the Christian community in Colorado Springs following yesterday's inexplicable violence at New Life Church and the YWAM center in Arvada.

New Life Church sponsors a homeschool group called "High Country Home Educators" and because of that, and the work I do for CHEC as their Support Group Leader Liaison, I know lots of people who attend New Life Church.

My first reaction yesterday, upon learning of this heinous crime, was to pray for those I knew who attended there. It's been a long year for them as they have weathered the scandal and fall-out of their Pastor's revelations and resignation beginning last year in November. I have watched those friends struggle for understanding, reach for and extend forgiveness, exhibit mercy and seek His peace. It's been a long battle for them. And now this...

Sometimes, you just have to shake your head and cry out to the Lord, "Why?" And yet, it's not ours to know why. We receive Him in Word and Sacrament, and lovingly trust in His providential care over our lives and may not know why this side of heaven.

As the parent of two teens the same ages as the sisters who were murdered yesterday (I used the word murdered instead of killed because of the 5th commandment), I am concerned over the violence so prevalent in our society that may endanger them. I've been hugging them a lot more today, grateful for their safety for now, trusting and praying that God will always keep them safe.

We've been in prayer a lot today. Praying for those hurt or killed and their families, including the young man who committed these crimes and his family. Praying for those who knew them (we do know one of the shooting victims who is ok), and all the officials dealing with this.

This morning we began a new book in our devotional time. It was given to us this weekend by dear friends. It's called "Reading the Psalms with Luther." Psalm 4 struck us because of the events of yesterday:

"Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness!
You have given me relief when I was in distress
Be gracious to me and hear my prayer!"

The exclamation points indicate some urgency in this Psalm. But I also noticed that the psalmist didn't ask for his prayer to be answered, he isn't demanding resolution. He's asking the Lord to hear his prayer. There is comfort for the psalmist in just knowing that God has heard his prayer. May it be so with all of us.

May HIS will be done.