“Suddenly – death – prayer”

Today’s reading: 3As he (Saul) neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"
5"Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked.
"I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied. 6"Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."

Tons and tons of rain just kept coming and coming across Missouri all day yesterday and all night last night. Heavy downpours drenched every speck of dirk and filled every sink hole and the James River has overflowed its banks into the driving range across the highway. Some reports say up to 9 inches and more fell in 30 hours. That is a ton of rain bringing havoc to everyone.

The rain turned into thunder storms around 10 PM and sky began to light up. I don’t believe that is the type of storm Saul was experiencing however. He was traveling, so most likely it was day time. The word suddenly takes on meaning here; it means this light from the sky (in Saul’s mind) came out of no where for now reason – bam – it was there. It shocked him so much he fell to the ground.

With the storm yesterday also came sudden death, three young teens were killed in an auto accident due to the slick pavement. I imagine as friends and family began to hear this sudden tragic news, they fell to the ground. I know I would have if it had been my children or friends. I was stunned not even knowing them.

One moment our lives are moving right along and the next moment, suddenly everything changes in an instance. Forever changed! There are probably a lot of questions of ‘why’ being lifted upward in the aftermath of this storm. Saul had every right to ask ‘who are you Lord” because he was stunned and thrown to the ground and heard a voice - something he never expected.

The families and friends of these teens need our prayers. I pray that they will look to the Lord for their strength and question him when they feel the need. Not only question why but question the Lord to help them, to ask Him to stand beside them, to carry them through this awful storm and tell them what to do. The Lord is our light from heaven, we know that, but not everyone does. Saul didn’t know yet when the light suddenly came out of nowhere. As a result of this tragedy in southwest Missouri, it is our responsibility to pray them through this time.

In offering my prayers I fall to the ground.


Dorothy Drago Brucks

Aldersgate UMC

Nixa, MO.

http://www.aldersgatechurch.com/