In preparing the prayers for Christmas Eve night each year, I try to go big.
Prayers for the World.   For Peace.  For Hope.
This year as I was gathering up thoughts I was struck that in recent months we’ve been praying through 2 Sandys – a superstorm and a school tragedy.

Psalm 12:5 hit a chord with me regarding the Sandy of Sandy Hook:
“I will place them in the safety for which they long.”
I was imagining the children and grownups who lost their lives being in God’s ultimate safe keeping.
And I was also imagining a greater vision of Safety for all of us who survive — a safety not built on human security systems or weapons, but one whose origins stem from the peace of God.

Another piece of scripture that caught me regarding Sandy Hook was this:

“By the tender mercy of our God,
the dawn from on high will break upon us,
to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet in the way of peace.”
(Luke 1:78-79)

Darkness and death are paralyzing and irrational forces that greet us across life, but even stronger irrational forces — God’s tender mercy, light and peace bathe us and hold us together.  We discover strength we never knew existed.

As Sandy Hook begins classes again and all of us head into a new 2013 we will have our challenges.

But God’s love is an ocean.
Let’s keep praying together on our shores for healing, hope and courage for each new day.

Pastor Sarah Dickinson