And when we do not know what to pray for, as we ought,
the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.
Romans 8:28
There are times in life, so overwhelming with sorrow, that prayers can not be uttered.
You’re at a loss for words, with no answers for unimaginable acts of evil.
That’s been me for the past 5 days.
I can’t figure out how to pray because I am so stunned that in the year 2015, an American would desire to start a race war. Really? It’s easy to feel that we are back to square one when it comes to racism.
But more than that, there are 9 families, friends of those families, a church community who is in the throes of deep grief and anguish. And my heart just wants to give them a hug. Just wants them to know how loved they are. And just how sorry I am that someone with the same skin hue as myself did this to them. It makes me want to shout to the families of the 9 victims that the vile creature from Wednesday does not represent white people. That we love them and we stand with them, united together, to support them, honor them, and serve them.
And how the community of Charleston has responded in the past 5 days is mind boggling.
Source: Post & Courier
Church bells tolling united throughout the Lowcounty at 10am Sunday morning
A hands-held together unity chain with more than 10,000 people over the Cooper River Bridge
Hands held high in unison worshipping God at Mother Emanuel AME Church just days after the tragedy
Knees bowed low in unification in Charleston and across this country in prayer vigil after prayer vigil
As Martin Luther King, Jr. stated, “Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that”.
Love endures long.
Love bears up under anything and everything that comes.
Love never fails.
I Corinthians 13
To the black community, in Charleston and throughout this country, I love you and I am so deeply sorry for your loss.
I’m so glad you wrote this post. It expresses how I have felt since finding out about this awful tragedy on Thursday morning. I’m still reeling from it. I’ve been glued to the news coverage, and I visited the church yesterday. I’ve cried so many times about this. It’s heartbreaking.
I’m so glad this resonates with others. I feel so helpless and simply stunned. But at the same time I have such hope for our country and for racism to eventually diminish when I see how our community has overflowed with love for the victims.