Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Weeping for His people

“Esther again pleaded with the King, falling at his feet and weeping, she begged him to put an end to the evil plan of Haman the Agagite, devised and wrote to destroy the Jews…..’For how can I bear to see disaster fall upon my people…?’”
Esther 8:3 & 6

“….falling at his feet and weeping….” I can recall the last time that I wept, can you? For me it was not only yesterday, but also today! It has been an overwhelming 2 weeks. Not a typical schedule by any means. I thought that after an AMAZING church event on Friday evening (thank you Marion ladies!!) I would come home and life would return to “normal”. All day Saturday I was emotionally out of sorts. I had a strong feeling in my spirit about a phone call that I new I needed to make and it wasn’t going to be easy. I made that phone call on Sunday. It went as well as a “difficult” phone call could, I guess…. – and soon after that, learned Josh Pfister, a 23 yr old cheerleader at my daughter’s gym was killed in a car accident over the weekend. Sunday evening our gym was to participate in a kick off for Long Hollow Baptist’s Youth Crusade. The cheerleaders did their thing on stage at the church--- many struggling during the routine to keep it together. Then, when the speaker was close to the end of his message he started telling the story of a teenager at one of his crusades who accepted Jesus and then just two hours later – was killed in a car accident. As salt was being poured in a fresh wound – the doors of the sanctuary that led out in to the lobby where being thrown open by many crushed and devastated young people. I saw a young, beautiful girl standing in the lobby in our team colors of purple and orange – I had no idea who she was, but my mother’s heart pressed me to go and just give her a hug. Not only had I lost one friend while about her age --- I had lost two. She held on to me and we both cried – no, not cried. Wept.

Today, I didn’t cry --- I wept again. Before you start thinking I need to be committed – allow me to explain. If you’ve kept up with my story you are aware that I brought I family here from Africa to have surgery for their daughter. Once the family arrived in Nashville I discovered the mother had a sister living in Chicago on a Student Visa. With a little planning – the two sisters saw each other yesterday for the first time in 11 years. Crying, no – weeping, yes.
Grace is being held by her aunt, Marie for the first time.

 On Friday night as I spoke – I used the verse mentioned above and asked the ladies in the audience, “When was the last time that you wept over a group of people? When was the last time that you wept over the evil in this world?”. As with EVERY message I share, God is speaking to me and teaching me something new while I am teaching other people. My two “people groups” to weep for young people and the people of Africa. I’ve known that for some time – but this weekend was a CLEAR reminder of how I need to stay committed to them. I need to beg my Father to put an end to the evil. The evil influences that have a strong hold on our young people. The evil of poverty and war that grip the people of Africa. I know who I’m weeping for. As of this weekend – I think I’m all out of tears for these two groups. I’ve renewed my prayer direction by praying specifically for them. For in the words of Esther, “How can I bear to see disaster fall upon His people?”