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An Update on the Tragic Collision

1.23.2020

Dear Church Family,

On Monday, we gathered to pray for the Hawkins, Ivascu, Ruiz, and Campusano families. We are coordinating efforts and assistance to the family (click HERE for more information and to donate). We share their shock and grief. As we all process the tragic loss that has impacted the families in our church, we turn to God in prayer. Here is a summary of Monday evening’s focus that might assist you as you go to the Lord in prayer.

When you pray, acknowledge the greatness of God and our limitations in life: 

Reflect on the Word of God in Psalm 90:1-11 —

Remember that the Lord has been and is our dwelling place from everlasting to everlasting; He is God. Jacob Ivascu, Daniel Hawkins, and Drake Ruiz were all taken sooner than anyone expected. We know that the Lord provides comfort to the families.

A Promise from the Word of God: Psalm 139:13-16 —

For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.

Pray for healing:

Reflect on Psalm 103:1-5 —

The surviving boys are recovering, but it will be a long road ahead. Pray for their physical, emotional, and spiritual healing. They have been through multiple traumas and will need healing and encouragement.

A Promise from the Word of God: Psalm 103:8-22 —

The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbor his anger forever;
he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;

Pray and express your grief:

This is a loss to all: the families, the friends, the church, the community. It is okay to grieve and to let God know, through prayer, how this is impacting you.

Reflect on Psalm 77:1-12 —

I cried out to God for help;
I cried out to God to hear me.
When I was in distress, I sought the Lord;
at night I stretched out untiring hands,
and I would not be comforted.

Pray for those who cry aloud to God wanting to be heard. Pray for those who cannot sleep because of their grief. Pray for those who need to be comforted, and those who are so grief-stricken they cannot speak.

A Promise from the Word of God: Philippians 4:4-7 —

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 
Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Pray for God’s comfort to the families:

Reflect on Revelation 21:1-5 —

Pray for parents who lost a son. Pray for siblings who lost a brother: Friends who lost a buddy.

  • Craig, Janet, Joshua, and Sara Hawkins
  • Alex, Ramona, Joshua, Jeremiah, Jillian, and Jedidiah Ivascu
  • Debbie Ruiz
  • The Campusano Family

A Promise from the Word of God: 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 —

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.

Pray for comfort to all:

Reflect on Psalm 42 —

Pray that our souls would thirst for the Lord even when we are asking, “Where is God?” Pray that we would look to the Lord even when our souls are cast down, in turmoil, and we say to God, our rock, “Why have you forgotten me?” Pray for a renewal of hope in God, even when our soul is cast down.

A Promise from the Word of God: Hebrews 4:14-16 —

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Pray for our ability to understand:

Reflect on John 11:17-27 —

“Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother (Lazarus) would not have died. 22 But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. 

We often may not understand why things happen. When things happen that we do not understand, we should run toward God, not away from Him. We believe.  Pray that the Lord helps our unbelief.

A Promise from the Word of God: Psalm 139:7-12 —

Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,”
even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.

We affirm our confidence in the Sovereignty of God:

Reflect on Romans 8:26-30 —

We know that the Holy Spirit intercedes for us when we do not know how to pray or have the words to express our hearts. We know that God is at work even when we do not see how that can be. We know that He works for our good. We know He completes those things that He begins.

A Promise from the Word of God: Romans 8:31-37, 38-39 —

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

We are thankful for the first responders and medical personnel:

Reflect on Psalm 121:2 —

We know that our help comes from the Lord, who uses people to bring us comfort and healing. We pray that the memories of the first responders would be cleared of lingering scenes and that their consciences would be clear, knowing they had done all they could. The Lord never stops giving spiritual protections.

A Promise from the Word of God: Psalm 121 —

I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord watches over you—
the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.

The Lord will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;
the Lord will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.

Pray that we forgive the perpetrator whose actions led to the loss of life:

Reflect on Luke 6:27-36 —

“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. Love your enemies.

We are called to bless those who mistreat us. This is very hard to do. We should be merciful, even as our heavenly Father is merciful. Christ is our example.

A Promise from the Word of God: Romans 5:6-11 —

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!  For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Pray that we Commit Our Lives to the Lord:

Hear the Words of Psalm 90:12-17 —

Teach us to number our days,
that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Relent, Lord! How long will it be?
Have compassion on your servants.
Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love,
that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.
Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,
for as many years as we have seen trouble.
May your deeds be shown to your servants,
your splendor to their children.

May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us;
establish the work of our hands for us—
yes, establish the work of our hands.

We should value every day of our lives. We should embrace family and friends and commit our lives to serving our great God. We pray for God to make us glad and to bless our endeavors as we do His will.

A Promise from the Word of God: Hebrews 13:20-21 —

Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

We Acknowledge the Goodness of God —

We end with Psalm 23. As you pray, remember these Words from the Lord.

A psalm of David:

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.

Amen