Last Friday will long be remembered as the day when more than a dozen people were killed in a horrific accident in Humboldt, Saskatchewan. The junior hockey team was in a bus headed for Nipawin to play the fifth game of a playoff series. For more information, please visit: http://thestarphoenix.com/news/local-news/humboldt-broncos-bus-involved-in-highway-crash. On Sunday night, a memorial service was held in the arena where the Broncos played their home games. The team chaplain, Pastor Sean Brandow, shared his thoughts in an emotional address, which can be viewed at: https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=MJXGSw1WvKY.
On Friday evening, Karen and I were at a church in downtown Montreal, where hundreds of people (mostly under the age of 25) gathered for a worship concert. How wonderful it was to see such a large group of people worshipping God! Little did we know then that the community of Humboldt was about to face a terrible tragedy. This morning, I heard a reporter tell of the outpouring of kindness in Humboldt. Karen and I also experienced the generosity of people in Saskatchewan, when we were at a Missions conference in Waldheim in the summer of 1986.
This week, I began reading Mark Hitchcock’s book “55 Answers to Questions About Life After Death.” By examining the Scriptures, we discover what the Lord has prepared for His children. In his book “Nearing Home,” the late Billy Graham wrote: “What home are you preparing for? Some people spend their lives building ultimate dream homes so they can enjoy their twilight years. Some find themselves exchanging their bank accounts for residence within the gates of a retirement center. Others spend their last days in nursing homes. For those of you who do not know Him, choosing your eternal home is the most important decision you will ever make. For the Christian the last mile of the way is a testimony to God’s faithfulness, for He said, ‘I go to prepare a place for you’ (John 14:2).”
Many of the Broncos players lived in homes away from their families during the hockey season. Don Liesemer, who lived with a billet family while playing junior hockey in Montreal, wrote an open letter to the Humboldt Bronco family, which can be read at: https://www.hockeyministries.org/home-ice/blog/a-letter-to-the-humboldt-bronco-family/. Please pray for Don, his wife, Jean, and all those who are ministering to the families and friends of those whose lives ended so suddenly.
Scripture for the weekend: “The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want.” Psalm 23:1 (NKJV)
Steve