Lord, there was a tragedy somewhere today. More than one, on the face of this earth.
Maybe it made the news. Even if not, it was big news to those involved. They got up this morning and expected a normal day. Maybe even an exciting one. They had no idea one or more of their closest loved ones had gotten up this morning for the last time. Would not be here tonight to go to bed. Ever again. That today would break life in two: Before, and After. And After is something they can't imagine, or imagine getting through. Or imagine having meaning.
Lord, send them people who've known the same pain. Who can mourn with them and then comfort them with the comfort they themselves received from You. Send them people who can anticipate their needs without them having to say a word. Send them people who can pick up the practical slack so they need do nothing except freefall into Your arms. Send them peace that passes understanding, which we cannot grasp precisely because it passes understanding. Yet we know it must be real because we know You.
Send them You.
Lord, there was a salvation somewhere today. More than one--many more than one--on the face of the earth.
This has already made the news; not on TV, but in Heaven, as there's rejoicing in the presence of the angels when even one sinner repents. Lord, it doesn't say angels rejoice, as we often interpret it; it says there's rejoicing in their presence. Father, this means You're the one rejoicing, doesn't it? Most if not all these new creatures got up this morning expecting a normal day. Because I think that's often how true conversions happen: they aren't planned. One is struck, in a moment, by the tragedy and hopelessness of their sin. They had no idea their old self had gotten up this morning for the last time. Would not be here to go to bed tonight. Ever again. That today would break life in two: Before, and After. And After is something they can't imagine, because they don't know what they're in for. Love; cost. Fellowship; persecution. Provision; warfare. Call; change.
Life eternal. Not as opposed to nothingness, but as opposed to hell, because if we aren't in our natural state bound for hell, then Christ died for nothing. Lord, please grant that fewer people would be persuaded to lie to themselves that there is no hell.
Lord, there was a death somewhere today. Many, many deaths on the face of the earth.
This is literal "news"--new existence for these ones, irrevocably new, whether an expected death or not. Some will have had no idea they'd gotten up this morning for the last time. Would not be here tonight to go to bed. Ever again. That today would break life in two: Earthly life, and Eternity.
Lord, send their people what we've already asked: company, fellowship, comfort, help, peace, You.
Yet for that one who has passed, there is no prayer. Their eternal destiny is set. For some of them, on a day they thought would be like any other.
Father, You warn that tonight our lives may be required of us. Draw them, I pray, by the hundreds and thousands and ten thousands, to Your Son Jesus, because though time is a dimension we live in now, it is not something we have. For those who don't know--and in some aspects of life, that's all of us--help many, many more of us understand that in the very broadest, most important, and eternal sense, no matter what we don't know, everything will be all right if (and only if) what we do know--is You.
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