14 Aug, 2007
Miners trapped: 'You've just got to pray ... and hope they're OK'
It's the place where Julie Jones, a member of Huntington's City Council, came Monday to buy food to cook for the family members of six miners who are trapped in the Crandall Canyon Mine. It is the place where Dwayne Timothy, a miner, stopped to buy water on his way to participate in the rescue operation.
And it is the place where many residents of this town, with a population of less than 2,000, came to ask each other, "Is there anything new? Have you heard anything?"
The task of waiting for news clearly showed on their faces.
Few people knew the miners' names or the current status of the rescue operation — but that didn't matter. For a town that is comprised mostly of miners, everyone has a husband or a friend or a son who works or has worked in the mine, Jones said, and everyone cares.
"Until you get a phone call that says your son or brother or husband is not one of them, you just don't know," Jones said. "And when you get that phone call, it still pulls at your heart. You're relieved for your personal (situation), but you feel for (everyone else) because you know how it is. You've just got to pray, that's all. Pray and hope they're OK."
photo & story courtesy deseretnews.com, 8/09/07
"LORD, help us!"
Psalm 130:1-2 (NLT)
My Soul Waits for the Lord
1From the depths of despair, O LORD, I call for your help.
2Hear my cry, O Lord. Pay attention to my prayer.
What does today's God's Story scripture teach us about responding to God when we are feeling trapped?
The big story in the news right now is the fate of the trapped miners. Are they still alive? Can they be rescued in time?
Families and friends are crying out to God for help. At this point, only God knows the ending of this story.
This has me thinking about the stories that will happen in your life and mine for the rest of this year. Circumstances may bring us to feeling like we are trapped in the depths of despair. How will we respond?
Tyndale's LIFE APPLICATION STUDY BIBLE notes give some great advice for us as we consider the unknown:
130:1,2 In the depths of despair, the psalmist cried out to God. Despair makes us feel isolated and distant from God, but this is precisely when we need God most. Despair over sin should not lead to self-pity, causing us to think more about ourselves than God. Instead, it should lead to confession and then to God's mercy, forgiveness, and redemption. When we feel overwhelmed by a problem, feeling sorry for ourselves will only increase feelings of hopelessness; but crying out to God will turn our attention to the only one who can really help.
- Thank God for His best and perfect plan He has for your life. Praise Him that you can talk to Him, anytime, anywhere, for any reason. Thank Him that He will always listen to your cry for help, forgiveness, strength, direction....cry out to Him right now for whatever is on your heart....
- Make talking to God about anything and everything part of your daily pattern.
- Keep a written prayer journal to experience the privilege of prayer with God at a deeper level.
How can we connect today's story and God's Story scripture and our story to others?
- Pray for the rescue of the miners and for comfort and courage for their families.
- Pray that God will use this story to draw people to the truth of His Story.
- Ask someone in your storysphere who needs Jesus questions like: Can you imagine what the families and friends of the miners are thinking and feeling? Why do you think most people are OK about God talk and prayer when there's a crisis? Have you ever felt like crying out to God for help? Tell me about it... May I share a story of when I did this?
- May 2012 [11]
- April 2012 [19]
- March 2012 [21]
- February 2012 [19]
- January 2012 [18]
- December 2011 [20]
- November 2011 [15]
- October 2011 [15]
- September 2011 [14]
- August 2011 [22]
- July 2011 [19]
- June 2011 [21]
- May 2011 [20]
- April 2011 [20]
- March 2011 [21]
- February 2011 [20]
- January 2011 [21]
- December 2010 [21]
- November 2010 [21]
- October 2010 [21]
- September 2010 [22]
- August 2010 [21]
- July 2010 [22]
- June 2010 [20]
- May 2010 [18]
- April 2010 [20]
- March 2010 [23]
- February 2010 [19]
- January 2010 [22]
- December 2009 [22]
- November 2009 [21]
- October 2009 [22]
- September 2009 [21]
- August 2009 [20]
- July 2009 [21]
- June 2009 [22]
- May 2009 [18]
- April 2009 [15]
- March 2009 [7]
- February 2009 [17]
- January 2009 [20]
- December 2008 [23]
- November 2008 [19]
- October 2008 [22]
- September 2008 [22]
- August 2008 [19]
- July 2008 [22]
- June 2008 [11]
- May 2008 [19]
- April 2008 [22]
- March 2008 [21]
- February 2008 [18]
- January 2008 [20]
- December 2007 [18]
- November 2007 [15]
- October 2007 [19]
- September 2007 [18]
- August 2007 [12]
- July 2007 [12]
- June 2007 [9]
- May 2007 [11]
- April 2007 [10]
- March 2007 [11]
- February 2007 [14]
- January 2007 [7]
- December 2006 [4]
- November 2006 [13]
- October 2006 [17]
- September 2006 [11]
- August 2006 [16]
- July 2006 [10]
- June 2006 [3]
