Our most Holy God and loving Father, today we approach your throne once again with shocked minds and heavy hearts. Another shooting has taken multiple lives. God, most people cannot fathom what might cause a person to take another person’s life, let alone the life of children. Our feeble minds are not capable of comprehending what would cause a person to shoot innocent people. I know that after something like this, the topic of gun control and mental health will dominate news stories. Father, while these issues are “hot button” issues and it may make those talking about them show a semblance of compassion, deep down we know that those are not the solutions to this problem. The problem is not a lack of laws or a lack of available assistance. It is a lack of love and respect. It is a lack of personal responsibility and people being taught right from wrong. It is a lack of your truth in people’s lives.
Father, we have witnessed the deterioration of society over the past 50 years or so. The family dynamic has changed. Greed and immorality drive so many people to ignore the needs of others and do whatever they can to get what they want. They forget that this country was built on loving your neighbor and helping one another to succeed. So many people in today’s world have never been taught how to handle rejection. Most of us learn from an early age that everything will not always go our way. We learn soon after we start school that not everybody is going to like us. We learn that there may even be some who have the desire to pick on us for one reason or another. In short, we learn that life is not always easy. One constant in this life Father is that you are always with us and will never forsake us.
Loving Father, we ask that you put loving arms around those who have lost family members to all this senseless violence. We know they are asking why. It is a question, however, that really cannot be answered. All we really can ask is that your presence be felt in their lives, and they lean on you for guidance and support. We pray dear Lord that you grant wisdom to those who are ministering to the hurting. Guide them in their words and actions so that you are glorified in all they do and say. Guide them so that those who are hurting can witness your love and peace and be comforted by that.
Holy God, your word says in II Chronicles 7:14–14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Help us Father, your people, to humble ourselves, pray and seek your face. Guide us away from our wicked ways so that our sins are forgiven, and you will heal our land. Father, so many times in your word we see all people being blessed because your people are obedient to you. I know the same still holds true because you never change.
Father God, we pray that you will guide our leaders into your truth. Open their eyes to the importance of including you in all things. Our founding fathers knew the importance of your word, morals, and values in governing a country. Turn our current leaders back to that. We have watched this country turn away from you and we see the results, and they are not good. We desire your guidance and leadership God. We desire that you lead us out of these chains of evil that bind us so we can prosper in you and enjoy blessings. Teach us to love you with all hearts, minds, souls, and strength. Help us to love our neighbors as ourselves and submit ourselves to you and resist the devil. Your promise is, if we do that, he will flee from us.
Thank You God for allowing us to be your children and allowing us to approach your throne with confidence. All these things we pray in name of your holy Son, Jesus. Amen.
Read I Thessalonians 5:12-28