Ft. Pierce, Florida is a quaint little town on the east coast of the Sunshine State with beautiful beaches. I should know…
I was born in Ft. Pierce, Florida.
Ft. Pierce, Florida was my home for the first nineteen months of my life.
My dad met my mom in Ft. Pierce, Florida at the “McCrory Five and Dime” store, which my dad owned.
My mom and dad were married in Ft. Pierce on November 8, 1958.
I was the first baby baptized at the new church development, which my parents helped found called the Indian River Presbyterian Church.
I have been asked all my life where I was born and rare was the occasion when I did not have to explain where Ft. Pierce is located. (“Just ten miles south of Vero Beach… You know…Dodgertown!”)
All that has changed now…
Now, everyone in the world knows about Ft. Pierce, Florida.
Now, I have to share my aforementioned history and affection of Ft. Pierce with the one who shot enough people dead to be the worst mass shooting in the history of the United States.
Forty-nine hearts, forty-nine families have been pierced by a man from Ft. Pierce.
Not to mention the wounded, the survivors and those of us whose hearts have also been pierced by the horror of this nonsensical tragedy.
SeeingGodatWorkEveryDay…
Upon hearing the news of the shooting at The Pulse in Orlando and the carnage found therein, my mind and heart immediately went to the historic hymn,
This is my Father’s World.
It’s always the third verse where my heart is riveted upon…
This is my Father’s world. O let me ne’er forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father’s world: the battle is not done:
Jesus Who died shall be satisfied,
And earth and Heav’n be one.
Echoed through my spirit are those words, “though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet.”
Furthermore, “Jesus who died shall be satisfied and earth and Heav’n be one” sticks like crazy glue to my mind.
The Orlando Shooting is wrong on every level.
God is still the ruler on every level.
The prophet Isaiah wrote six hundred years before Jesus appeared on the scene these words…
“But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.”
Because Jesus was pierced, his loving pulse came to a crushing halt.
Through His resurrection his pounding pulse of love proclaimed victory!
In Orlando, The Pulse was pierced by an individual from Ft. Pierce.
If we can become united as “One” in our prayers, in our outrage of such horror, in our reaching out in love to all our brothers and sisters, no matter ours or their orientation, race or creed… The Pulse, although pierced will keep beating new life for generations to come. Perhaps then and only then can we proclaim victory as the last three lines of verse three are fulfilled…
This is my Father’s world: the battle is not done:
Jesus Who died shall be satisfied,
And earth and Heav’n be one.
SeeingGodatWorkEveryDay…
Laugh often, Cry aloud for those mourning and Fear not!
David!
David@seeinggodatworkeveryday.com