Serving in Sorrow

Our hearts are burdened, our minds constantly thinking of the Rye family, we weep in personal grief and in mourning for the family - so we pray. 

Pray, my church family, and then pray some more knowing that our Sovereign God who brought Rick home also brings His blessings and grace to earth through the prayers of His people. Your prayers are not wasted!

For the family, pray that the writings of the Scriptures would be written deeply in their hearts: 
The righteous cry, and the LORD hears and delivers them out of all their troubles.
The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all.
(Psalm 34:17-19)
Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. (Psalm 73:25-26)

For the funeral - that the hope of Jesus Christ would be on the move. All attending believe in Heaven, many are not on their way. Pray that I can preach and people will hear and believe this message:
Our confidence that Rick is now safe and uncondemned is not that he was innocent, but that he was forgiven and he was counted righteous because of Jesus Christ. The Bible is very plain that we are saved from our sin and from God's punishment by grace through faith in Jesus Christ who died in our place and rose again from the dead.

Pray, my brothers and sisters! Pray with me and may we know that our prayers are a significant part of being ambassadors for Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20).