Praying for violent men

Matthew 11:7-12 KJV
[7] And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind? [8] But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. [9] But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet. [10] For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. [11] Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. [12] And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.

Even rudimentary prayer is powerful light in the darkness.

Are you praying?

Don’t blur out atrocities

The video started out unedited, presumably because it was filmed by her abusers—

The young woman is dragged by her hair from the trunk of an SUV.

Her arms are abraded and bloody

Her face is bloody

And her clothes show other signs of violent assault.

She has a look on her face which is haunting and she is pushed into the vehicle by men shouting and pushing in on her.

After the initial few hours of seeing her clearly, news organizations blurred her out. I know they had their own reasons for doing so, but they should not have.

If the aim is to find her among millions of people, we need to see her face.

If we are to face what happened to her. We need to reckon with all the horror together.

Sing loud.

Psalm 37:3-6 NIV
[3] Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. [4] Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. [5] Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: [6] He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun.

Heaven

https://www.biblelyfe.com/blog/bible-verses-about-heaven

https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/heaven/

https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2012/07/good-news-facebook-the-root-word-for-paradise-originally-meant-walled-garden/260140/

https://www.biblicalcyclopedia.com/P/paradise.html#:~:text=Paradise%20is%20but%20an%20Anglicized,%D7%A4%D6%B4%D6%BC%D7%A8%D7%93%D6%B5%D6%BC%D7%A1%2C%20and%20the%20Arabic%20firdarus.

Nehiloth

Psalm 5:1-3 KJV
[1] Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my meditation. [2] Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray. [3] My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord ; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.

Upon Nehiloth?

https://www.biblicalcyclopedia.com/N/nehiloth.html

According to this article, the mysterious identity and etymology of Nehiloth ranges from winnowing to a swarm of bees to a musical instrument.

I prefer to think that it is all of these things—a mystery, a winnowing, a cloud of bees, a low, a perforated vibrating wind instrument, ominous, breathing, an inheritance, a judgment, a way of singing a song about love and judgment with the ambiguity low hum or imminent storms.

This is the only place in the Bible where the word appears.

Hast thou not known?

Isaiah 40:28-31 KJV
[28] Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. [29] He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. [30] Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: [31] But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.