Let us step away from the tragedy for a moment and find peace in God.  Together we may turn to the shelter of His wings to find patience, strength, health and courage.  Father we are here for Your will, this place is not our own and as we look forward to residing in our true home we find ourselves weeping, tired, uncomfortable and melancholy.  The brutal humanity of which we must participate has once again dumbfounded our resolve in its ruthlessness.  As we listen in our quiet discontent we can almost hear the blood of these innocents as it cries out to You for Justice, Father.  How long will this travesty be alllowed to transpire?  What remains into which we must righteously invest but Your Kingdom?  What passions must we pursue but those things that lead others to Your Forgiveness?  What calm can we foresee as the storms surround?  Our Path is not to You Lord, our path is You.

This world doesn’t threaten to restrain us from peace, but convince us that the Author of Peace does not reside in our bodies, His Holy Tabernacle. We are not going to Jesus, He has come to us.  We are not looking forward to a day where we may reside with our God, He lives through us and with us even now.  We are not downtrodden, despaired, harried and defeated.  Quite the contrary, we are victorious in the knowledge that we will be delivered from any captivity to the Throne Room of Righteousness by the Hand of Almighty God Himself.  Bars may not restrain the Spirit.  Darkness may not shut out Light.  Oppression only produces more densely-robust, elemental composition.  We do not need to run to the Lord, He is standing with us now.  If we are kneeling, do not mistake that it is defeat or bent knee in obeisance to the enemy but rather in thanks and praise to the Mighty God we serve.  Praise You Lord in all Your Glory, in the Righteous Name of Jesus our King.