Praying and Pondering. . .

Words. I write them, think them, and say them. It is what I do – what God created me to do. I feel God’s smile on me as I share the words He has given me.

Yet over the last few days I haven’t had words to adequately express what is going on in my heart and mind.

Sandy Hook, shootings in Alabama, police officers killed my my hometown weigh heavy my my heart and mind. I pray and grieve, but words do not seem enough.

Questions battle in my heart and head. I clung to the one thing I knew: God is good and His purposes remain. He uses evil for good and somehow I know He will do it – bring glory out of sadness.

I hear about heroes who died, heroes who responded, and heroes who survived. Somehow praying doesn’t seem enough and yet praying is what we must do.

So I pray for all touched by the Sandy Hook massacre. I pray for those mourning the loss of loved ones – due to illness, accident, or massacre. I lift up the lonely, forsaken, scared, indebted. When I lift my eyes I see it. The creche bursting with animals and people – a baby lying in a manger.

And I see the truth. Emmanuel, God with us, wrapped Himself in frail flesh. God went to extraordinary lengths to be with us and He is with us as we grieve and mourn. He is the God of all comfort.

So I pray and ponder. What do you do when grief comes near?