Pray the Paper

As initially moved as I was regarding the Virginia Tech shootings, I have not been true to typical form. In the past, when nationally known tragedy has struck, I've been glued to broadcast mediums to soak in as much information as possible. The East-Asian Tsunamis, 9/11, Oklahoma City Bombing, etc. have always sparked a deep curiosity in me and I have spent considerable time seeking information to somehow cope with the devastation.

This week, I've not had the energy or been able to afford the time to pursue similar information on the tragic events of Monday. I only know the number of people killed, that the shooter was despondent and of Asian descent, that one of the victims was a holocaust survivor but was found perished in the shooting and that today the university announced all the victims would be conferred with posthumous honorary degrees. Beyond these few details, I have no knowledge of the facts. But I have nonetheless been deeply moved by this occurrence.

The one thing I've found I could do is pray. Why it seems many Christ-followers turn to prayer as a secondary resource (or later), I don't really know. I've always held the opinion that there is nothing more powerful or effectual a Christ-follow can do than to pray. To evoke the power of the Almighty on any given situation is nothing to be reduced to merely a rote exchange of patterned language. Prayer can be a "verbal wrestling" with the God of the universe and can bring not only understanding, but powerful change as well. I've experienced the incredible transformation prayer can bring (sometimes instantaneously) and find myself thrilled by it.

Not having even a list of victims, this week I simply numbered these souls 1 - 33 (yes, even the assailant -- and I figured God could understand which was which) and have been praying for these unfortunate persons, their families, loved ones and classmates that the peace of Christ might dwell with their hurting souls.

Though it has been a long week for me, my week has been nothing in comparison to the fatigue and weariness the survivors must be experiencing. This week I'm strangely energized by this discipline of "praying the paper" (though I've not even taken the time to read the paper). I feel more productive in this discipline of prayer than merely knowing facts and recounting endless video loops on CNN or network news. Each time I see a flag at half-staff, I'm moved not only to mourn, but to continue praying. I've partnered with this event in a way substantially different than in the past.

If you were to "pray the paper" in today's daily, in what section would you begin praying?