A prayer in time of peril
___By Henry Lucenay
___"Father, we fold our hands and bow our knees as we approach you. Our hearts are racing even as our minds have trouble focusing. The tragedy that has fallen over our land reaches into our homes. We see it in the innocent faces of our children. In a few quick moments, people we don't know disturbed our indifference and shattered our certainties.
___ Our sins against you, once excused, now trouble us as we pray. The things we looked over yesterday, today, remind us you are a holy God. Forgive us the sin that separates us from you. Cleanse our hearts. Turn our lives in your direction.
___ Tutor us with the questions tragedy raises in our souls. Take our "whys" and empty them of our arrogance. Restructure these inquiries into a willingness to stop, look and listen to you as you weigh the way we are handling the gift of life. As you birth the "now whats" of our experience with this ugly invader, temper our anger, lest we hurt innocents in our struggle with our pain.
___ Whisper to our president as he rests. Speak to him as he walks. Surround him with your counselors, and let godly wisdom form his response to evil's workmanship. Unite those who lead us and bind the hearts of all Americans together.
___ Comfort the comfortless. Strengthen the weak. Embrace the orphans. Tenderly hold the hearts of the bereaved. Energize the rescuers. And plant hope in the fertile soil of American hearts everywhere.
___ In the best of times we said, "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble." Now we look for your light as we walk the dark path of a troubled land. We trust you, whether we understand these things or not. Thank you for your love and mercy.
___ We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

___Harry Lucenay is pastor of First Baptist Church in Longview.
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Baptist Standard