Safe And Secure

Psalm 91:1-6, 14-16

My wife and I were talking about the violence in our world and how it seems to be getting more and more prevalent. We talked about last week's naval yard shooting in DC. We talked about the Chicago murders. We talked about the mall takeover in Kenya, all of which happened in the span of a week.

As we began to talk more, and go further back in our collective memory, we took notice of how people reacted to these horrific events. We noted that in what was probably the biggest event in recent memory, the attack on the Twin Towers on 9/11/2011, the first reaction was disbelief, followed by a need to be comforted.

Today, and sadly so, we tend to replace the disbelief with anger, followed by the want for action to happen. We are no longer satisfied with being in a state of shock, and are increasingly demanding the violence be stopped. I'm still undecided as to the approach currently taken, but I am glad action is being called for.

As my wife and I continued to talk, we noted that one thing has remained constant throughout the years: prayer and a want for comfort from a higher power. On 9/11, as night fell around the nation, millions of people went to churches or held neighborhood vigils to pray for those affected by the attack. They prayed for healing and understanding, as well as guidance for our community leaders. As recently as yesterday we held prayers for those in the Kenyan mall attacks; prayers for those affected by the killings as well as guidance for the community leaders.

Our psalmist reminds us that in times of struggle and pain we look towards our God. We are reminded that when the night brings fear and the arrows go flying by we have a God who will shelter us and keep us safe. So, whatever you may be facing today - the loss of a loved one, the foreclosure of a home, the inability to find a job, alcoholism, abuse, loneliness - remember that there is a God who sits by your side and shares in the suffering.