"Nine people were killed Wednesday night when a shooter opened fire at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, during a prayer meeting."As I have been praying for the men and women affected by this shooting, I am reminded of what they were doing when the gunfire broke out...
They were praying.
When a person is murdered, their blood actually cries out for revenge. When Abel killed his brother in Genesis chapter 4, God comes to Abel and asks, "Where is Abel your brother?" to which Abel responds, "I do not know. Am I my brother's keeper?" God then says something fascinating about the blood of a person, "The voice of your brother's blood is crying to Me from the ground."(Genesis 4:9-10) Life is in the blood. Blood is what brings life. God explicitly commands the people of Israel, "Only be sure not to eat the blood, for the blood is the life,.."(Deut. 12:23a) The blood of Jesus, ultimately, brings life to anyone who puts his/her hope and faith in Him. When blood is spilt in murder, blood cries out for revenge and only Jesus, the mediator (Heb. 12:24), has the authority to quiet the need for revenge.
The blood of these sweet people has been brutally poured out in a place of worship. While we set up measures to keep us safe from terrorist, we are destroying ourselves from within. This is not a situation of happenstance; not case for insanity. This was a hate crime carefully planned out - plain and simple. I know it's uncomfortable to look at pain. It's uncomfortable to face the gaping wound of racism in our country, but we have to acknowledge that it is here and very real. As parents, we need to teach our children the difference between good and evil, right from wrong. Not talking about this situation silently tells our children that this tragedy is not a big deal. Talk with your children. Cry with your children. Let them see that hate against another person is not okay. Not okay. Jesus, a Jew, was traveling through Samaria, and sat down by a well to rest. He then proceeds to have a conversation with a Samaritan woman at the well. Jews HATE Samaritans and men disreguarded women. Jesus is revolutionary! He breaks down two cultural no-no's (boundaries) for us in John 4; he models a Savior who loves all people,
Galatians 3:28 – “There
is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither
male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
The divisions that separate people in the real world, slave or free, Jew or Greek, male or female, black or white – are simply flattened or leveled in Christ, as a consequence of God’s new creation. Take time and read through the names below of men and women who lost their lives because of hate. If hate resides in me, remove it from my being so that I can be more like Jesus.
Sharonda Coleman-Singleton, Rev.
Clementa Pinckney, Rev.
Cynthia Hurd
Tywanza Sanders
Myra Thompson
Ethel Lee Lance
Daniel Simmons
Depayne Middleton-Doctor, Rev.
Susie Jackson
Join me in prayer: God, each name here represents a family who is in deep sorrow and struggling with how to move forward, how to respond to the media, what to say. I pray that their blood would not be poured out in vain, but that the prayers of these saints would ascend to Your Holy Throne. You would hear their prayers of love, of peace, of forgiveness, and of reconciliation. As a sister in Christ, who believes wholeheartedly that the ground is equal at the foot of the cross and we "are all one in Christ Jesus" (Gal. 3:28) may this Kingdom, God's Kingdom that unifies people, come to earth. Only by Your strength and power can the blood of these innocent people bring life instead of death; bring peace instead of war; bring unity instead of division; bring forgiveness instead of revenge. I pray that, like Samuel (1 Sam. 3:19b), the prayers of this group would not fall to the ground, but that the prayers offered in faith by the people at Emanuel Church on Wednesday night would be answered and that the seeds of their faith and love would produce life, healing and restoration one-hundred fold.
God, I do not pretend to understand the anger, frustration and sadness the families of these dear ones must feel. I pray You would surround them with Your love, support, and comfort. May they abide in Your grace and know they are being held up in prayer and love by people around the world. Amen.
Continue to pray. With spiritual eyes, you can see this tragedy is a game-changer and has the potential to move a mountain. Let Your Kingdom come.
"But now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love." 1 Corinthians 13:13
