Lord, Hear Our Cry

The latest school shooting at STEM School in Highlands Colorado on May 7th is so very difficult to accept or rationalize. Students, parents, teachers, and first responders have been hit with the death of one student and eight persons shot, some critically.

Although the shooting itself took place in a suburban area of Denver proper, the whole metropolitan area has been shaken and old wounds have been reopened again. The shooting deaths at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado took place twenty years ago, once again terrified students ran for cover along with teachers. The school terrorist had struck once again.

"Our city" of metropolitan Denver is in shock and mourning. Once again the questions of why our city? Why our students? Oh Lord, why?

King David cried out when the Prophet Nathan confronted him for his sin against God. "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. (Psalms 51:10 ESV).

Some may feel abandoned or lost in a true valley of despair. We know we can and we must turn to our Lord for strength and understanding.

As we watched in horror of students walking out of school with their hands held high, the common reaction now because you never know when the suspects may attempt to walk out as a victim.

At STEM, we learned two suspects were students from the school. They entered  into the Middle School when they begin shooting. This time, some students took action into their own hands and did their best to put down the shooters. Not just heros, but students who have learned a cruel lesson, evil must be tackled and stopped!

In a time of danger and fear, we turn to a higher authority to deliver us from our time of anxiety and fear.

In Psalms 91, King David claimed his strength from God by calling God his fortress and refuge.

"For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor the destruction that wastes at noonday". (Psalms 91:3‭, ‬5‭-‬6 ESV).

Now with families watching over their children recovering in hospitals starting their trek back to not only the healing of their gun shot wounds, but also the deep mental scars etched in their hearts of this terrible experience.

Today one family mourns the loss of their son who died trying to shield other students during the mayhem and shooting in two class rooms. A terrible and horrific loss they must now face the rest of their lives.

I don't know how the parents or first responders feel and try to block out evil scenes of blood, suffering, and death. For some parents as they watch over their children in the hospital or in the safety of their own bedroom and home, are thanking God they are okay, this time.

There is a lack of confidence and safety in our society. I remember the days when I dropped our children at school, they would be in a secure and safe place until we picked them up. Now, many parents wonder if they will safely pick up their children or will their lives be disrupted by violence and death.

In a nation that has turned away from God and Churches, where we relay less and less on God, and our government looks for ways to deny the sovereign power of God over our nation, we must turn back from our idolatry and disobedience against God and His Grace and cry out to Him to save us from our evil ways.

The Holy Bible is filled with Scriptures that teach us how to cry out to God for forgiveness and Hope! There are many lessons demonstrating God's Grace for His people who turned to God in hopeless situations.

"For our shield belongs to the Lord , our king to the Holy One of Israel".
(Psalms 89:18 ESV).

It is our time to stop the evil ways, the hate and violence, the divisive nature of our country today and return to The Message of the Cross.

The Bible says "God is Love". Love covers all our wrongs, Love is the greatest of all Gifts of the Spirit. 

In 1st Corinthians, the Apostle Paul writes about the strength of love in every situation in our lives.

"Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away". (1 Corinthians 13:4‭-‬8 ESV).

So why are we holding back? Why are we denying the Power and Presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives? Why do we think we can repair what a broken evil sin nature continues to destroy in our lives? Why do we concede God's Power that is Greater that is in us, then what is in the evil one?

God, please bring revival to "our city" again. Save our nation! Protect our teachers in your schools! Protect our children and bring safety and security back to the halls and classrooms! Bring back prayer in our schools. Reject a school curriculum and teachings that deny the Sovereignty of God in our society.

God please hear our plea., and may we as a repentant city understand how Your Word can touch us and make a difference in our broken and grieving hearts.

"So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love".
(1 Corinthians 13:13 ESV).

Oh Lord, hear our cries and pleas for the restoration of Your Love, Amen!

"For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen".
(Ephesians 3:14‭-‬19‭, ‬21 ESV).

LFI ~ LATINO FAITH INITIATIVE
Rev. Fidel "Butch" Montoya
Remember: GOD LISTENS!