JULY 9 "THE TRAGEDY OF OUR LIVES PENNED...."

You were probably were skipping through the lineage in today's reading and probably missed what was penned about two of Ephraim's sons. Ezer and Elead, "these two were killed trying to steal livestock from the local farmers". If we continue to read out, this incident is described as a "tragedy". Ephraim mourned a long time for his boys, it was a senseless death. No doubt, Ephraim did not need his boys to steal cattle for him. It was a senseless act, a daring act, a stupid act, that cost these boys their lives. Their stupidity and this tragedy is penned in God's eternal Word. In recent months, we have had a number of senseless and stupid deaths in our city, mostly by young teens and twenty year olds. Maybe our prayer for our families should be "Lord, don't let their be stupid and senseless deaths in our family". The prayer that would have to follow that would be, "Lord, let the communication lines flourish in my home among our family". I recently had an acquaintance make a very stupid decision. I find it hard to believe that had he discussed his decision with a friend he could not have been talked into waiting a few more months.Maybe we don't want to know, maybe we don't want the confrontation, let them make their own decisions and learn for themselves. Well, it's not always the case that you told someone to wear a hat; they didn't and they get a cold, "good for you, hope you learned your lesson". In our text, the lives of two boys are loss. In our city the lives of many are loss. In the lives of friends and acquaintances around our sphere of influence, lives are being destroyed. "Hands off approach" is not always best. "Letting people make their own decisions" is not always best. "Let them learn themselves" is not always the answer. The tragedy and stupidity of our lives too, are being penned for eternity. Why? Because it's tragic, as our text writes! It's tragic that there was no conversation, it's tragic that something so senseless and stupid could not have been prevented. In your sphere of influence, be a prayer covering to those who cross your path, be a voice, be as one that shouts out, confronts and does his/her best to be the road block towards stupid and senseless deaths and tragedies. We must all be able to stand at the foot of every coffin (figuratively and literally) of stupidity and senseless tragedy and say, "I did everything within my power and ability, to stop this".