Prayers and Thoughts about Virginia Tech Tragedy

I, like many, are saddened and burdened from the events at Virginia Tech. The overwhelming losses of loved ones and the senselessness of the shootings is mind staggering. I trust in a Sovereign God who will use his people to minister in this situation and for God to be glorified in the midst of this tragedy. Sometimes it seems like God is lifting His hand of restraint upon the world and as the world gets darker, His people shine brighter. We are to remind ourselves that God is sovereign and will bring good out of this awful situation. Here are some thoughts from John Piper as well.

Following are excerpts of a (paraphrased) prayer from the book Valley of Vision that I hope will comfort others:

Peril

Soveriegn Commander of the Universe,
We are sadly harassed by doubts, fears, unbelief,
in a felt spiritual darkness...

Help us, O Lord,
to throw ourselves absolutely and wholly on thee,
for better, for worse, without comfort , and all but hopeless.
Give us peace of soul, confidence, enlargement of mind,
morning joy that comes after night heaviness...

In our distress let us not forget this.
All-wise God,
Thy never-failing providence orders every event.
sweetens every fear,
reveals evil's presence lurking in seeming good,
brings real good out of seeming evil,
makes unsatisfactory what we set our hearts upon,
to show us what short-sighted creatures we are,
and to teach us to live by faith upon thy blessed self...