Just some words of comfort

I know you probably feel raw right now. I know I do.

We were already wrung pretty dry before news from Texas rolled in yesterday. Words are useless in this because it hit everyone hard, and in truth there are young people dying daily in large numbers, but they are just spread out across so many different locations it doesn’t impact our news feeds until something like this reminds us of the rampant sickness that is out there.

I was trying to think of anything I could add of value and had nothing.

But driving in to town this morning, I was cut short in my progress because the car in front of me stopped. I wasn’t sure why until I saw the first adult goose make its way across the path followed by a whole bunch of fuzzy, awkward goslings and then another adult bringing up the rear.

Just like human children, the geese kiddos were straying here and there, looking at the car that had stopped and back behind them and stepping over each others feet. The adults were watching for cars and nudging them along. It was a slow process, but finally all were safely across and we could continue on our way.

I was reminded of a day I was driving around the lake in our old neighborhood and as I rounded a corner I saw the carnage left behind by a vehicle that had either not seen or not cared and plowed through a little family of ducks. I know I have written about this years ago, but it fit again today.

Bodies of babies and adults were strewn across the two lanes. Some were squashed but a few were floundering and the mama was hurt badly. I opened our trunk and found some bags I could use and moved the mama off to the side of the road. I was in tears and felt so helpless as I tried to get any live babies over to her side so they could at least be together.

As I worked with tears pouring, a car rounded the bend and not knowing what else to do, I waved my arms for help. The driver stopped and a young girl emerged with a well-deserved perplexed look. I hurriedly explained I had not hit them, but found them. She helped me move the last living babies over to the mother and we parted ways.

Today I think how the evil of this world leaves wounded souls and bodies scattered across our paths. We feel helpless and try to offer any small kindness we can and ask God to keep our hearts remain tender in the onslaught.

It hurts to hurt for others, but we are to participate in the suffering of others as Christ suffered for us. It is hard to forgive the perpetrators of pain, but we are to forgive as we were forgiven. It is hard to wait for justice when injustice seems to rule, but we are told that one day God will make all things right again.

So today, my prayer is for those who are struck down and wounded and floundering in the road. My prayer is to bring you to the Father, close to Him, to rest and heal by His side and to gain strength to carry on in the work you were called to do.

May God be with those who have lost young ones far too soon…all over this world. May God bring us comfort and strength as we wait for His justice to come. May we remember there are those who knew the young gunman and who live with a greater pain than we can imagine. May God guide and lead our prayers and actions and conversations today that we might be those who bring comfort to the hurting.

Lord, have mercy on us.

God have mercy.

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