At least 10 are dead in three separate explosions that tore through a business district in Mumbai, India today. Dozens more are injured. The Indian government has confirmed that the explosions were terrorist attacks likely from Muslim radicals. They have placed the entire city on high alert.
“God, bring calm and healing to Mumbai. This chaos and violence is not from you. Yet work your goodness out of the terrible madness. Stop those who have planned and executed this mayhem. Bring justice for the victims and their families. Bring peace to India and all places in the world held in bondage by the sickness of senseless violence perpetrated by Islamic terrorists. God, we call out to you for salvation from this evil! In Jesus…”
Christian Lopez could have made a “cool” fifty thousand dollars… at least. Instead, he didn’t ask for a single thing. And that is the real “cool” in the story.
Lopez happened to be sitting in the left field seats at Yankee Stadium on Saturday, July 9th when Derek Jeter hit a towering homerun for his hall-of-fame-first-round-ballot- clinching 3,000th hit. In the fan scrum that followed after the ball landed near him, Lopez emerged triumphant… with Jeter’s baseball in hand. Stadium officials hastily escorted Lopez to the inner bowels of the stadium and asked him what he wanted for the ball. He thought for a moment then decided simply to give the ball to Jeter, without a price; without strings attached. The simple gesture has made him a kind of Yankee folk-hero. How cool is that…
“God, thank you for common, genuine goodness. Thank you for Christian Lopez, and his simple act of decency. He is already receiving more blessing in the form of good will for his generosity than $50,000 could have ever purchased. See fit to give him even more!And while his act of decent kindness happened to be very public, help us to open our eyes to the many other expressions of selfless goodness that happen all around us every day. There is much to fear; there is much to make us angry; there is much that will dull our hopes. But when we open our eyes we can see your heart of grace expressed time and time and time again, here and now, through the common, genuine acts of goodness happening each day. You are God. You are alive and well. You are, even now, saving this world and answering our prayers, “…Your Kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven…”
Jaycee Dugard, the young woman kidnapped in 1991 at the age of 11 by Phillip Garrido and held captive for nearly two decades told her story last night to Diane Sawyer on ABC News’ “Primetime.” Gugard appeared remarkably composed throughout the interview.
Phillip Garrido, 60, a serial sex offender, is serving a sentence of 431 years to life in prison for kidnapping and sexual assault charge, including rape and committing lewd acts captured on video.
Dugard has written a memoir, “A Stolen Life” which documents the horrors of her 18 year imprisonment. The says she wants to help others who have suffered the terrible pain of sexual abuse.
“God, we pray for victims of sexual abuse. We pray for healing. We pray for deep comfort. We pray that you will restore what has been stolen and broken. While you do not alter history, you reveal your love in the present and the future. What seems hopelessly shattered, in you can be redeemed. For the many millions who have been defiled in sexual abuse, show yourself to be loving and able – as you are willing – to give back life, and life abundant. Yes, there is great pain in this world. There is injustice. There is evil. We turn to you and cry out for help and healing. We cannot help but wonder why such horrible abuse happens. But we turn from “why?” and ask instead, “how?” How now will your perfect goodness and love find expression in the shadow of wickedness? God, you are good and loving and also all powerful. Yet you have risked giving humans the right to choose how we will live. Some choose evil. For those who are victims of other’s vile deeds, we ask you for grace and healing. For those who have suffered, come to them tenderly and with overwhelming and powerful love. We join Jesus’ and borrow his words, “Be freed from your suffering..” God, Heal the victims of sexual abuse, in Jesus name.”
Torrential rains this week brought a first-relief to drought-stricken Texas. But much more is needed if the southern states of the US are to escape the historic dry spell that has gripped the region most of the year. Praying for rain seems fitting.
“God, you send rains in season. It is a season of need in Texas. Send more rain to that parched land and more again across all the thirsty southern states. Find a small and willing cloud sitting bored over some vacant part of the Caribbean, and give it a push toward Houston. Make a Hurricane, perhaps, not strong enough to destroy, but filled with warmed moisture and send it North. We ask you for rain. Let the drought unite many millions to ask you for help. We trust in you. You made the world to need the waters of heaven. You made the world to need the waters of life. You are the source of rain. We ask you. Let it rain. In Jesus name.”
