"A voice is heard in Ramah,
lamentation and bitter weeping,
Rachel is weeping for her children;
she refuses to be comforted for her children,
because they are no more."
Jeremiah 31:15
The prophet Jeremiah wrote this section of scripture during the exile of Israel to Babylon. Jeremiah likened the exile to a woman who has lost her children -- which was considered to be everything. He also used Rachel's name. This is significant because Rachel was Jacob's favorite wife (he had two). Jacob's name was later changed to Israel by God. Therefore, Jeremiah is focusing on the grief of the exile, as if it had touched Rachel herself. This scripture shows up again in Matthew 2:18 when Herod would kill all the children under two years of age in an attempt to kill the infant Jesus. By Jesus' time, this scripture had become proverbial for the mistreatment of Jewish children. Innocents.
So my heart is broken for the families who have lost a child or an adult in this massacre. I can not even begin to imagine what they are going through. God have mercy.
I am thankful for all of the first responders and teachers that protected the rest of the children. I am sure that their training saved lives.
I also saw politicians leading people today. I think it was the governor of Connecticut who admitted that people don't go into politics to deal with tragedy. Like us, the elected officials are at a loss. I was very proud of how President Obama handled the situation. This was the first time that I have ever noticed his human side. Nothing could prepare any of these people for this.
Twenty-seven innocent lives were snuffed out today for no apparent reason. Twenty were innocent children. Again, it is a time of lamentation and bitter weeping. But I pray it doesn't last forever...
because this type of fear is unnatural. We can't live like this. Our children need to be safe in our schools.
Do me a favor and love somebody up -- especially the children in your life!
Kyrie Eleison,
Mike
"Weeping may tarry through the night, but joy comes with the morning." Psalm 30:5