I watched the footage on TV, videos of students running from their school in Florida. Students running for safety. Students crying. Scared. Parents crying. Scared. And my heart sank a little lower, as it does every time I hear news of some horrific act act of violence, especially school violence. Because I know that my child’s school is not immune to this kind of attack. These images are far too prevalent in the media. These senseless acts of violence continue to rise. And each day I’m reminded that there is no guarantee of safety anywhere.
More often than not, as I drive my daughter to school, I wonder if it’s the day that I get a panicked phone call or text message telling me that she is the latest victim. I wonder if it’s the day that my own world falls to pieces. I try to calm my mind by telling myself she’s safe at school. But I know she’s not. Because these things can happen anywhere, and schools seem to be the easy targets these days.
We can argue about how to reduce these horrific events. Everyone seems to have an opinion. And that’s okay, but the truth is that it’s not going to get better. It sounds pessimistic, I know, but there aren’t any laws or policies that are going to change hearts.
Only God can do that.
We desperately want to have control over these types of situations. We want to have control over the wicked people in this world. We want to be in control of our environments. We want guarantees that our children will be safe. But control and guarantees don’t exist in this world.
And all we are left to do is call on the name of the Lord. Pray for hearts to change. I know it doesn’t sound like much. But in a world that is out of control and unpredictable, the only thing we can rely on is God. He is the only thing that remains the same, stable. His arms are the only place of safety and unlike this world, He does not change.
So tonight, I ask that you pray. I encourage you to ask God to change hearts. I encourage you to ask God to heal the brokenhearted. I encourage you to look for those who are hurting and offer a kind word, to let the love of God be seen through your words. Let His love be seen through you by taking the time to notice the people who feel unseen, the people who are hurting.
I pray that the eyes of our country look to him and that the hearts of our country turn to him.
Proverbs 18:10 The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.
Psalm 34:18 The LORD is close to the brokenhearted…
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