A recent tragedy has impacted a family and many many friends. When pain of death strikes so many questions rise to the surface. Answers are few and far between. The only real action is to love. Continue to show love through the tears, loneliness, and shadows left from a lost life.
It’s harder to handle death when a young life is cut short. Blame and doubts are expressed, depending on the situation. “Why were they driving so fast?” “They shouldn’t text in the car.” “Were things that bad for them?” “I should have done more.”
One phrase I often hear associated with a teenager’s funeral is, “This is another disaster from taking prayer out of schools.” I like to believe this comment is made in good faith. It doesn’t come from a mouth that wants to hurt a family but express their annoyance in our world, which began in 1962. The U.S. Supreme Court prohibited sponsored prayer in schools (it goes on from there but you can research the rest yourself).
Every time I hear or read something like this it causes me to throw up my hands in frustration. When can a student not pray in school? Many pray before they eat. Most shout out a prayer before a test they didn’t study for. Some pray in their car, others after school, and dare I say it in front of their locker with a friend. God is bigger than the box we cram Him into. If mom tells Amanda to stop talking to that boy, does she stop? Not usually. Why? Because for Amanda, the thought of ignoring a boy she likes is not a choice on the table. Students are constantly reminded by adults how "they can't pray in school." I'm just thankful not everyone listens.
Yes, government and law have forbidden prayer in many venues, but we are too busy waving our poster board signs in protest to realize it never left. A prayer is banned from being recited over the intercom. Okay. What’s stopping a guy in Algebra from talking to God? We argue over what “we’ve lost” instead of using what God allows us to have…His Spirit.
We all have to remind students that prayer is not banned from schools just like prayer is not banned from their thoughts. Encourage them in their relationship with God. It’s an everyday relationship that doesn’t stop.
Our fight isn’t with each other. “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 6.12
Don’t live in defeat when victory is already here.
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