It happens most summers, that one of our Holiday Bible Club Songs sticks in my head long after the week has finished. This year is no different. One song we sang was very popular with the children - when we thought about Shadrach and Co in the Fiery Furnace, and Daniel in the Lions’ Den – and when we remembered the situations we face in our lives [maybe not as scary as lions, but still hard]
Sometimes I feel afraid of getting things all wrong
Of people who will tease me when I see the things I’ve done
Sometimes I feel afraid of being on my own
With no-one here to play with me, I’ll always be alone
Sometimes I feel afraid of things I cannot see
Of monsters in the dark who might be chasing after me
And then I remember, there’s no need to be afraid…
Because my God, he is big, he’s gigantic, he’s enormous
He is powerful and strong, he’s amazing and he’s awesome
And there’s nothing in this world that he couldn’t pulverise
So I know I’ve got nothing to fear, No! No!
So I know I’ve got nothing to fear
I have been singing it as I’ve worked on the summerhouse, as I have relaxed with my knitting, as I have walked along the Norfolk lanes. And I have felt so sad when I have thought of Hannah Smith and Daniel Perry. These young people were teased, and lonely and afraid. It is so sad that they took their lives as they did.
May God comfort and strengthen their families and friends right now, and bring His peace. And may those who seek to bully or intimidate others realise that what they are doing is evil.
It's heartbreaking that these children thought the only way out was suicide. Failures on so many levels...each of us has some responsibility.
ReplyDeleteJane x
Amen.
ReplyDeleteThe bullies already know that what they are doing is evil.
ReplyDeleteThe ability to do it completely anonymously and to go to extremes is the result of being able to do it online. If they were anywhere other than in front of their own computers there's a chance that someone might tell them to stop, or at least point out that it's wrong.
The internet has become a powerful tool for the activities of the mean and nasty people in this world.
I too was distressed to hear of the deaths of those young people. There is so much to teach and warn my children about in this world. But the thing I most want them to know is that "if God is for us, who can be against us?"
ReplyDeleteTheir families are in my prayers too. So sad.