No verse.

Dear God, it seems that one of the side effects of my painful times is that it brings me into tune with the pain of my fellow humans. For example, I never thought much about miscarriages until we experienced one. Now, I am incredibly touched whenever I hear about one and I try to appropriately reach out to the parents involved.

Ten years ago, I used to really enjoy Father’s Day and Mother’s Day and I didn’t really understand the pain that some others experience on this day. Maybe they lost a child. Maybe they lost a parent or a spouse. Maybe they have children or a parent with whom they have not relationship. Several years ago, my wife’s and my worlds kind of crumbled in a way that made Mother’s Day and Father’s Day very painful. Neither of us wanted the other to acknowledge our respective day. We would avoid social media so we didn’t have to see all of the posts. It hurt too much. But now I am, at least to some extent, in touch with some of the pain that people feel on days like this.

Father, as I prepare to preach to a congregation this morning, help me to offer your comfort and your hope. Help me to offer community for the injured pilgrims. And help me to bridge the gap between those who have suffered and those who haven’t. Most of all, help me to lead all of them to the foot of your cross so that they might be healed–so that I might be healed too.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen