Sighs Too Deep For Words

Before I say anything else, I would like everyone to stop and say a word of prayer for the children and parents of East Brook Middle School in Paramus, NJ. In fact, I’m going to do that now…

About two hours ago, our area was rocked by news of a horrible school bus accident on Interstate 80. You can read the developing story here. We are unsure of the details, but so far we know that one child is dead, as well as one adult. I pray for these families. As a father of two children, one who is on a field trip today, I can unequivocally say that this story is terrifying.

I also must note one of the images that struck me in the few that are currently available. The picture is of the dump truck that reportedly hit the school bus. On the back of the dump truck is emblazoned, “In God We Trust.”

I certainly believe and affirm this idea. It is in God alone that we trust. The Heidelberg Catechism puts it well when it says, “I belong—body and soul, in life and in death—not to myself but to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ…”. Yes, I believe this, but it would be a falsehood for me to think that such loss doesn’t shake us to our core.

No, there are times in life when that confession is put to the test; times when, as Paul points us, we come to realize that the last enemy to be defeated is death. (1 Cor. 15:26) It is in the face of death and its heart-shattering consequences that our hearts and minds moan with sighs too deep for words. (Romans 8:26) In the face of such horror, we come to realize that we cannot deal with these realities ourselves; we need one greater than ourselves to search our hearts and give us hope.

Pray for the Spirit to give these parents hope, as well as the children in the hospital. Like them, we are powerless apart from our prayers. Yet, we know that there is one who listens and who is able to accomplish much more than we can ever ask. (Eph. 3:20)