As I watched the news and pondered the plight of so many people in the war-torn areas of the Middle East, I was drawn to this picture I snapped a little over a month ago of an abandoned fire escape. The ladder was cut off and bent in toward the building and the escape was boarded up as well. I got a sense of isolation and hopelessness as I walked past the deteriorating structure.
The people fleeing the violence in Iraq must be getting a sense of that same kind of isolation and abandonment. Although some humanitarian aid has been dropped to those fleeing to the mountains for safety, I can only imagine the fear and frustration being experienced by these displaced people. If they go down the mountainside they risk being executed. If they stay in the mountains they risk starvation and dehydration. Those aren't very appealing options.
The complex problems of the world can seem beyond repair. We may even ask ourselves, "What can I do? I am only one person." I certainly don't have answers to all of the crises confronting us; I don't even know a majority of the questions to be asked. I do know that we can get on our knees and pray. There are times when it seems trite to say, "I will pray for you." However, if we truly believe in the power of prayer, and the power of our God, it is never trite to fervently humble ourselves before God and make intercession for those in need. Do we trust in the love and mercy of God or not?
The people fleeing the violence in Iraq must be getting a sense of that same kind of isolation and abandonment. Although some humanitarian aid has been dropped to those fleeing to the mountains for safety, I can only imagine the fear and frustration being experienced by these displaced people. If they go down the mountainside they risk being executed. If they stay in the mountains they risk starvation and dehydration. Those aren't very appealing options.
The complex problems of the world can seem beyond repair. We may even ask ourselves, "What can I do? I am only one person." I certainly don't have answers to all of the crises confronting us; I don't even know a majority of the questions to be asked. I do know that we can get on our knees and pray. There are times when it seems trite to say, "I will pray for you." However, if we truly believe in the power of prayer, and the power of our God, it is never trite to fervently humble ourselves before God and make intercession for those in need. Do we trust in the love and mercy of God or not?
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