Today, in a town near mine, there was a planned student walk-out of a high school—and with it, a surprise bomb threat to the school.
As teachers and students were evacuated from the high school and nearby elementary school, they were driven to a church close by so that K9 bomb-smelling dogs could investigate the area.
Being a part of lockouts and a practiced lockdown at my university, I can only imagine how stressful, scary, and perhaps even traumatizing it was for the students and teachers (especially the younger students). And it makes me wonder: if I feel stressed or panicky in a practice drill, how traumatized are those in Nigeria, enduring raids, kidnappings, bombings, and fires in their home towns? And while we have a great team of police officers in my area, would they be ready for the utter chaos the soldiers and police officers in Nigeria go through on a daily basis?
Nigerian soldiers are being killed by Boko Haram left and right. Yet, things don’t tend to “get real” in our hearts until it happens near us. Why is that? Nehemiah, upon hearing of his home town’s ruins, sobbed and was deeply disturbed, though he was living a nice life in the citadel of Susa (Nehemiah 1:1-5).
Without laying a guilt trip on anyone, I want to be real (with both myself, and with you, the reader): Where is our compassion? Is it out of sight, out of mind?
Or like Nehemiah, will the suffering that is going on even far, far away from us draw us into a state of passionate fervor and prayer (Nehemiah 1:5)? I pray that we can look upon such scary news, and instead of immediately sharing our opinion on it, we would get on our knees before Jesus the One who is truly in control.
Do you know Jesus?
Jesus is God—and He proves that God is both completely Loving, and completely Just. Learn more about Jesus, and what He did for humanity, forever, here.
Please pray for…
- Those currently undergoing traumatic experiences, from school shootings to mass bombings. All things matter to our Lord, and He longs to comfort and strengthen us!
- The Chibok girls and Leah Sharibu, that they would be found and freed soon.
- Police officers, both in the USA and in Nigeria—that they would not tire of doing good.
- The desolation of Boko Haram (and the lawless evil that is like it, here in the USA).
Thank you for all your prayers!
ISAIAH 62 PRAYER MINISTRY 