My heart is in anguish within me;
the terrors of death have fallen upon me.
5 Fear and trembling come upon me,
and horror overwhelms me.
6 And I say, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove!
I would fly away and be at rest;
7 yes, I would wander far away;
I would lodge in the wilderness; Selah
8 I would hurry to find a shelter
from the raging wind and tempest.”
Sometimes you walk down the street and can just see despair in someone’s face. Now imagine walking down the school hall and seeing it. According to UCLA, nearly 20% of high school students have contemplated suicide. Covid and social media pressure have caused an epidemic of hopelessness and anguish. In Psalm 55, David’s friend, possibly Jonathan, had become an opponent. The loss of friends is cataclysmic to a teen. Many people sit in fear, many wander away, and some would even end it. It is heartbreaking to hear stories like this.
But there is hope. In darkness, the light shines brighter. Where there is hopelessness, hope stands out. Our young people need to know that what is happening now is not all there is. There is a better world to come. They need to know there is a way to look at their problems through a Bible lens. Jesus came to save the world and heal our broken lives. When we reach out our hand for help, his hand meets us. He is our shelter that we can run to in the raging wind and tempest.
Dear Lord, thank you for the hope for our hearts. We pray for young people to find solace and comfort in your arms. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Pastor Brad Boyer
Cape Community Church