I’m struggling to find words tonight. The school shooting last week in Florida rocked me to the core, as I’m sure it did all of you. Once more, the image of students running out of their school with their hands on their heads and tears on their faces sears itself into my brain. Once more, my heart breaks for the families whose kids went to school and never came home. And once more, I think of my nephews and nieces that attend schools just like the one in Florida. I worry for them. I worry for my sisters and brother who drop their kids off at school, watch them walk away, and somehow find the strength to let them go.
And I’m saddened that in the aftermath of this tragedy, when we should be coming together as a country to find solutions, there’s more division than ever. There’s more hate than healing. We can’t seem to have a civil discussion and respectfully agree to disagree—and I’m just as guilty of this as anyone else. Instead, our discussions devolve into personal attacks as we argue about who’s to blame for this. We blame the President. His administration. The past administration. The adults who should have seen “the signs.” The NRA. This whole generation. And while we’re placing blame and pointing fingers, the next shooter is sitting in his room right this minute, planning his attack.
I don’t know how to stop that attack. I don’t have any answers tonight. I don’t know what the future holds for our country. What I do know is that God is still sovereign; last week’s tragedy didn’t change that. And before I go to bed tonight, I’ll be down on my knees, talking to Him. He still holds our futures, our families, and yes, our country, in His hands.
Our Father,
Oh, how we need you.
which art in heaven,
and also with us.
hallowed be Thy name.
I call on Your most holy, sacred name.
Thy kingdom come
My soul aches for You to take away the pain of this world
Thy will be done
yet I’m scared to surrender to Your will and lose the control I think I have.
on earth as it is in heaven.
The earth quakes with hate and violence and anger,
Give us this day
and I can only face this one day at a time.
Our daily bread
I cannot live without my daily portion of You—
And forgive us our debts,
forgive my willful blindness,
As we forgive our debtors.
and show me how to give grace to those who actions I don’t understand.
Lead us not into temptation,
Turn my eyes away from the world and change my focus to You.
but deliver us from evil:
O, Father, You are the only salvation from the evil that seems to spread like wildfire.
For Thine is the kingdom,
All of this is Yours
and the power
and though I am powerless to change it—You are not.
and the glory
so I will praise You
forever.
and finally say, with peace—“Your will, not mine, be done.”
Amen.
Amen.
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Comments 17
Renee,
Thank you for keeping my voice heard.
The burgeoning tsunami of gun restrictions are panic and will not cure anything. Only bringing to bear background checks and prosecuting those who allow access to weapons to the unstable will ever right this train wreck!
Perhaps a modern day King Solomon might right the scales but I’m afraid our current leadership is not Up to the challenge.
I doubt there are any leaders with the veracity to make an example out of the repugnant murderers.
I only wish to say a few things.
Cliche’ but a gun has no mind.
I have been through the background check for LTC. The DOPS of Texas found an incident of minor proportions when I was a minor. Once I proved my innocence they awarded me an ltc after qualifications. These procedures need beefing up and on the case where some deranged child gets their hands on a weapon then the source needs to be apprehended and prosecuted. Especially negligent parents.
The four specific places weapons aren’t allowed by citizens are public schools, churches, movie theater’s and places that make more than 51% of profit from alcohol. Guess where lunatics strike? All those places!
There are no unlicensed legal automatic weapons. They are semi automatic much like my handgun and 70% other scared citizens.
The AR-15 is a model after the ones used by military and that scares people. You can’t but the military version. It is not much more powerful than a semiautomatic pistol. Do away with it the there are many replacements.
There is hope!!!! A database for all citizens who wish to own firearms and they must all be registered. Background checks for all wanna be owners with government checks and balances with grievance channels.
No more lunatics with weapons. Metal detectors at all schools. People with licensed guns in schools churches movies and sports arenas.
And.. Scarey for me to say.. Background checks on all owners.
That scares me on a level of government control over our forefathers declared right for protection.
Thank you, Steve, for posting your opinions. I agree with you that there needs to be extensive background checks and that the AR-15 should be ” done away with;” unfortunately, like you said, there are many replacements. Thank you for saying there is hope. It’s hard to believe sometimes in situations like this–but you did exactly what I wish all of us would do–you outlined the problem and offered some solutions. Agree or disagree, our country can’t get anything done until we put down our mental and emotional weapons and start talking solutions rather than reiterating problems. Thank you for doing that.
That’s quite alright. I can get rather heated about that subject.
Steve–we all do! I am so sorry that your comments were lost. If you’d like to repost, you can, but I know it’s a pain. Thank you for understanding.
Dearest Renee, my heart cries with you for this world, for these children, their families and friends and for all who have fear in their hearts as they attend schools all over your country, never knowing when the next shooting may come. As Phyllis stated, we are not totally powerless as we can help make change come about in a variety of ways. As I have shared before, we have the biblical example in James before us. God asks us not only to pray but to act upon them to make change for those lives He places before us. Last Sunday I heard a sermon by a guest preacher that touched the core of my heart, and is still holding me captive. It is on Romans 8:22-27– ” We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words can not express”. The title of the sermon was “Do you have the ticket”. He uses the analogy of being on the train of life, but we need to have a ticket so we know our destination, the ticket being learning to listen to the three deep, deep groans as in childbirth–the newness of life.
1 The deep groan within our heart that keeps us up at night, whatever that particular groan may be, the groan that God allows you for a particular cause as in perhaps keeping our children safe?
2 The deep groan as we wait for our adoption as sons and daughters ( every person sits next to their own pool of pain).
3 the deep groan of God through the Holy Spirit as he intercedes for His world.
Our ticket on the train of life is to learn to listen to these deep inward groans as we also learn to listen to the deep, deep groans of God for us and His world.
I believe in listening and as following what God has taught us, we can act upon these groans in faith that our awesome God will and can deliver. Our groans can be come the format for action, for stepping forth as soldiers on the defense and go out into the world and to do whatever necessary to bring about change. Yes it may be just little what you can do, but all the little bits put together can make a huge change for our world and our beloved fellow travellers.
If I am correct, the sermon will come on to my facebook today ( a new format for us) and I will post it!
Klara, I can’t thank you enough for taking the time to write this. Every word is a balm to my heart, and I hope to anyone else who might read it. I don’t even have anything to add. Just–thank you. With all my heart, thank you.
The Lord is our rock and salvation. Only the Lord Jesus gives peace that passes all understanding. Thank you for sharing your heart
Amen, Gary. Thank you for the reminder of “the peace that passes understanding.” And thank you for taking the time to read my words.
Renee,
Your version of the Lord’s Prayer is beautiful. I think it’s worthy of framing and hanging in our homes.
You have an amazing gift with words.
Thank you so very much, Susan. It’s the prayer of my heart, and I’m honored that you would read it and feel that. Thank you.
Oh Renee, we are not powerless to make changes. Just as God gave you the power to confront your addiction, we have the power of vote to elect officials who will follow the will of the people who elect them. Look at the kids across the country who are speaking out against gun violence, especially the survivors of the recent school shooting. They are truly an inspiration.
Aunt Phyllis–thank you for your words about the power that we still do have. I feel powerless, but as you remind me, I’m not. I’m so grateful that we do still in a democracy where we can make our voices heard just as those students have been doing. Thank you for being so wise and sharing your wisdom with me.
Renee, A sad, but so well written Blog. I am 75 years of age, with 5 grown children, and 5 grandchildren. My first impression of this senseless tragedy, the victims, just starting or finishing their high school years, my Heart breaks. Their parents, next of kin,how terrible, horrible, how sad. What a waste of Human life. I believe in God, Why, God ? For many years, this wonderful country has been divided by “hot button” debates. Right to life, the Viet Nam war, andnGun Control, to fro: both sides has “ramped up”. Nobody, on both sides really wants to listen. The6bjus5bwantntommakevsure, “their opinion ” is heard. So,We a
Yell louder. There has Got to beva solution. We need to find it. Until we do, we need to Remember all the vict8ms, The Beautiful Children,teenagers, adults who have been killed ,injured, family life shattered. If you believe in God, a little Daily prayer would help., Renee, thank you for writing another well written Blog.
Harold, thank you for your insight. You’re right, we all want to be heard. And maybe it’s good that we yell louder while we look for answers. Thank you for this: “We need to find it. Until we do, we need to remember all the victims.” Exactly. Thank you for sharing your heart, my friend.
Steve, I’m so sorry that your comments got deleted. I always appreciate your insight and your faithful reading of my words. I’m so sorry about the comments.
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Hi Steve. This is Monty. I accidently deleted your comments as I was bulk deleting some other comments (spammers). Sorry about that.