London Bombings

Since the London bombings last week, I've had a chance to check in with the Hightown Baptist Church crowd back in England. Everyone is fine, though there was apparently a pretty close call with Steve Royce. Steve is one of 3 or 4 people at Hightown Baptist who commutes into London every day for work. Apparently, the tube train that he was riding on his way to work was just one ahead of the train that was bombed after leaving King's Cross Station.

From the conversations I've had with various people in Luton over the phone, people are pretty on edge there, especially since some controlled explosions by the Luton police at the train station earlier this week. However, there also appears to be a real sense of resolve and determination to not let this kind of mindless violence affect the everyday lives of people in the London area. My hope and prayer is that the church in England will rise to the occasion to speak hope and light into these circumstances as well. This will only happen if church leadership is ready, willing, and able to equip their people to be ready and to have their eyes open for opportunities to do just that in their relationships with people around them.

Father God, inspire your people in England to embody compassion, hope, and love so that those living without you will be drawn to you through them. Turn this tragedy that has gripped England and the rest of the world into a catalyst of spiritual renewal for the people of the UK and beyond.

Forgive us for the times when we have NOT represented you well on this earth and for when we have spoken words of competition and antagonism towards Muslims. We recognize that they are not THE enemy, any more than others living outside of a relationship with you - including millions of Americans and Britons. Forgive us (especially the Church in the U.S.) for when we confuse our nationality with our faith. Remind us that Muslim fundamentalists are never beyond the reach of your transforming power.