There are so many citizens of Jessamine County that have been affected by these recent tragedies. Human nature and experience tells me that many of you are burdened by questions of "Why?"
Dear friends, I wish I had an answer. We grope for words to express our feelings, but there are no words. For the many questions that defy answers, may the Lord be your strength. For the families of the lost, through your long days and sleepless nights, may you sense the reality of God's presence. I know from personal experience that in the darkest night flashes the brightest stars and that the loveliest rainbows only come after the most intense and violent storms. God has promised rest for the heavy-laden. He has promised that He would share the load with you. He will walk down the tiresome road beside you. He will hold your hand so that you can face another tomorrow.
He will help you when your inner pain cripples your Christian walk and He will clear your sight when tears blur your vision.
I wish that I could answer the question of "Why?" All I know with certainty is that the Lord sometimes allows the fires of pain and suffering to burn the dross and to imprint the design of the Great Designer on the pottery of our lives. Suffering reveals our inner strengths and weaknesses. It is a mirror that reflects our character. Jesus was familiar with grief, for He was called the Man of Sorrows.
We all know how hard it is to say good-bye to those we love. It hurts, we die a little and leave behind a bit of ourselves. Good-byes often leave memories as vivid as bright light, a lump in our throats and a love that still flames away in our subconscious. There is a deep emptiness within us, a lonely ache that we cannot explain. I pray that you will feel God enfold you in His arms and that you will hear the beat of His heart for you. He loves you and desires to hold you up through the healing process.
I pray that God's mercy will reach down to you in your deepest need, your despair, your loneliness, your fear. I pray that His mercy will flow, like a sparkling stream across the desert of your life. His mercy always remains the same towards His children. I pray that He will give you the courage to carry on in His name. Close your eyes and image yourself sitting on His lap with His arms gently around you. Listen for His still, small voice in your ear. Hear Him speak to your heart and tell you that He loves you and that He will never let you experience anything that you cannot endure with His strength and power.
I pray that when you feel downtrodden that the Lord will fill your cup to the brim with joy and peace. I pray that you will allow Him to restore you with His goodness and mercy. I pray that you will let Him rescue you from the tangled brush of hopelessness. I pray that He will quench your thirst for deeper and purer springs of Living Water. Beloved friends of Jessamine County, our God is a great God. I pray that He will ignite our minds and inflame our hearts with new hope and set our feet on highways of new purpose. Pray for one another and until next time, remember, Love is a Verb.
