ARE YOU BLESSED?

Good morning! 

 

I pray all is well with you and that you had a great and refreshing night's sleep. What a privilege and blessing to wake up each morning! What a blessing to wake up and know that Jesus loves us and never leaves us or forsakes us! What a blessing to have a family, our husband, our children, etc., that love you! There are so many blessings we have. It would take a lifetime to name them all.

On the day after the shooting in Connecticut, I would like to share a blog of a minister with you as well as another one from www.biblegateway.com.

December 14, 2012 · 3:59 pm

Mel Lawrenz: Reflections on the Connecticut School Shooting

Mel Lawrenz, Minister at Large for Elmbrook Church and leader of The Brook Network, shares his reflections on the the Connecticut school shooting.

"As I sit in an airport watching on television the unfolding horrific story of the shooting at the school in Connecticut, I overheard an airport worker say to someone else: all those children, all those families—and now, at Christmas time.
Immediately what came to my mind was one of the most troubling Scripture verses associated with Bethlehem. That awful, horrible, unspeakable crime of a megalomaniac named Herod who had all the boy babies in Bethlehem murdered just so that he could eliminate the one whom people were calling a newborn king.
How can a man do that? How can a man try to assassinate the Messiah?
In the face of Herod’s atrocity, Matthew quotes the prophet Jeremiah about another time of devestation related to children: “A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more” (Matthew 2:18). Does your heart ache when you read that?
As a pastor I have officiated at the funerals of children, and it always brings out that deep deep grieving in us that says: this is so wrong. So wrong. We must take the sin and corruption of our world seriously. We need salvation, without delay.
We must weep and mourn with the families and the community in Connecticut affected by this. And at some time we need to talk about how these things happen.
(A sobering fact: of the 12 worst shootings in U.S. history, 6 of them have happened in the last five years.)"

In addition to his work at Elmbrook Church and The Brook Network, Mel Lawrenz also writes the Christmas Joy and Everything New devotionals at Bible Gateway.

December 14, 2012 · 2:27 pm

As Connecticut School Shooting Details Emerge: Pray

"Heartbreaking news is rolling in from Connecticut, where a school shooting has left many people—including children—dead.
Like everyone else, I’m struggling to process this news, and with details still emerging, it seems unwise to offer much commentary. In the meantime, here are a few things you can do:

1. Pray. And pray some more. Pray without ceasing.
2. If you need help trying to understand how such evil can exist (and who doesn’t?), see Lee Strobel’s message “Why Does God Allow Tragedy and Suffering?” (about the Aurora, CO shootings earlier this year) and pastor Mel Lawrenz’ reflection on violence and the Bible (about the Sikh temple shootings in August).
3. When discussing this latest tragedy, refrain from getting caught up in the same old political arguments about gun control or other hot topics. (There will be plenty of time to discuss those important subjects later.) Ephesians 4:29 says it best: “Only say what is helpful when it is needed for building up the community so that it benefits those who hear what you say.”

But most of all—let’s join together to pray for the survivors, for the grieving families, and for the entire community."

I thought that this was very appropriate in the wake of this tragedy. I know these people don't really feel blessed. Please pray for those involved in one way or another, and then count your blessings because God is good all the time. We are alive another day and He loves you!

Have a blessed day!

Les