Waving good-bye as the bus drives away

Another school shooting!  Another day hugging my kids hard, praying my anxious prayers of safety, hoping they’ll come home today.

The shooting last month in Parkland, Florida ended in 17 people dead.  This latest shooting in Maryland ended in 1 student dead, one injured and the shooter killed by school security.    These two boys saw no other way to soothe their demons than to walk into a school and kill.  Broken, confused and hurting kids.

How do we patrol such a population? 

How do we know who will walk into a school with a gun or other weapon tomorrow?  

There has been so much debate over this.  You’ve seen and heard it.  You and I have possibly been involved in a post or two on social media.  Maybe you are attending the march in Washington, have sent letters to local government offices, made phone calls?  All valid ways to vent, express anger and attempt to effect change or action.  But don’t we find ourselves, no matter where we fall on the issues, frustrated at the lack of answers, change or action?  

How many deaths and trauma do our students have to endure before the collective “we” do something about it?  

How do we force their hand?  

What action should they take that will save the most lives? 

So many questions, with so few answers.

This morning I am challenged.  I am challenged to focus.  While all these troubled people are walking around plotting evil and all our politicians are walking around talking about how they will protect our kids, there is something we can be doing now, immediately.  We can be on our knees.  Praying.  We can be the protection our kids need, right now.  Right there on our knees; asking the All-knowing, All powerful and All present to protect our kids.  What man can’t do, God can!  Let’s focus... on prayer.

Believers!  Let’s stand in the gap - the gaping hole of the unknown and undone!  Let’s be on our knees every morning praying for our children’s protection.  And while you’re at it, add a few more people to your prayer list: Federal Government, local government, school district officials, teachers, aids, janitors, kitchen staff, bus drivers, police officers and the security who patrol the hallways.  Pray over their eyes to see, ears to hear, minds to think clearly, and hands to respond quickly.  

But don’t forget…

There’s one more person(s) we need to be praying for: the broken, confused and hurting out there that are capable of these evils.  He/she desperately needs our prayers.  Pray not only for their plans to be thwarted, but that the collective “we” would see their brokenness before it’s too late.

“The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” Let’s take that verse and believe it!  Stand on it!  Focus with me and put the protection of our kids in the most capable Hands.  Let’s bombard heaven!

#onourknees #bombardheaven