Wednesday, December 17, 2014

I'll Ride With You

The Sydney Siege of 15/16 December 2014 has certainly shaken this part of the world down under.  The loss of life is very tragic and families and friends have had their lives impacted forever.  These precious people will carry the battle scars of life and it will be part of their story that will be told from generation to generation.

All the hostages caught up in the siege, are heroes.  My thoughts and prayers are with you as you try and cope with the reality of this unforgettable tragic event.  May God give you the grace everyday to cope, as you walk the path that has been set before you.  


Special mention must be made of the two amazing young people who sacrificed their own lives to save others.  True modern days heroes, Tori Jonson and Katrina Dawson.  They sacrificed, so that others could live.  Our thoughts are with their families at this time.  May you know the peace, which only God can give during this time of grieving and mourning. 

Even though this situation has been tough and tragic for the families,  we will never fully understand and comprehend what has happened but I know something good will emerge.  I believe we have seen snippets of it already.  The heroic acts have truly touched our hearts and when I read and heard the story behind the "I'll ride with you" expression, I was truly moved by the kindness of people.


What sparked this situation? Rachael Jacobs, who said she'd seen a woman she presumed was Muslim silently removing her hijab while sitting next to her on the train: "I ran after her at the train station. I said 'put it back on. I'll walk with u'. She started to cry and hugged me for about a minute - then walked off alone'.


This evoked a series of tweets e.g."If you reg take the #373 bus b/w Coogee/MartinPl, wear religious attire, & don’t feel safe alone: I’ll ride with you. @ me for schedule."


A Twitter movement, #illridewithyou, has sprouted with everyday Australians offering to ride on buses and trains with Muslims or give them a lift to work in order to keep them safe.


This is what life should be about.  Showing acts of kindness.  Loving, caring and protecting one another.  This is what the world should be reporting on.  Come on reporters around the world, let us see your TV stations report acts of kindness e.g.:  "Breaking News - people are caring, protecting and supporting one another."


John 15:13 
"Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends."

1 Corinthans 13:13 
 "And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."










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