Blue and Yellow Prayers
I find myself pulled into prayer almost constantly as news of what is happening in Ukraine comes to me over the car radio, on evening television, in articles, and on social media feeds. Yard flags, lapel pins, and even the lights on our taller buildings here in west Houston offer yellow and blue reminders of what is happening halfway across the world. One cannot help but become emotional when seeing scared children or hearing accounts of people who have lost everything due to the war. Like many of you, we have made donations and hope to discern more that can be done.
Every Good Friday we are faced with the hard to believe account of the Passion. None of us could imagine that this is the way God decided to deliver us had we not been told. God went all the way into the unnecessary suffering of the cross to show and promise us that the suffering of this world is not final. This is not to say that the cross makes light of or glorifies the brokenness. It is to say that we have a God who is able to come to us in the midst of the suffering of an imperfect world. This means that when your heart is heavy, you can be assured that you are not alone. It is a hope that promises that difficulty, sadness, and loss do not lead to isolation. As someone who has lost several loved ones in recent years, I find comfort in the completeness of God’s love.
I pray we will find ways to limit the suffering that has come from the war in Ukraine. I pray we find ways to take care of the displaced and the suffering. I pray that we will know that we are not alone in our desire to care for these who are the least, the lost, and the lonely. I pray that all of us may find the peace that is God’s love.
We love you and God loves you,
Josh Condon+