Painful Memories Stirred

The funeral of murdered prison officer, David Black (52), from Cookstown, Co. Tyrone was a most dignified and for me a personal occasion.

Before making his way to work last Thursday, David left his wife on that unforgettable morning, neither of them even imagining that that would be the last time they would see each other in this life.  Republican terrorists - of the same ilk of those now governing Northern Ireland - drew up alongside his car on the M! motorway and gunned him down like you would a rat.

Five long days later, David's earthly remains were laid to rest in the ground, from whence it came.

At the funeral, it was very touching to see the Union Flag-draped coffin being borne by colleagues and family members into the Presbyterian church in which David was a member.  What touched me even more deeply was seeing his elderly father acting as one of the poll-bearers, something a father should not have to do for his son.

When my youngest policeman brother was being buried, my father also has that unwelcome duty to fulfil.  To my mind, this is a complete reversal of the norm.  Sons normally bury their parents.

This touched me because I recall how 35 years ago as a young man stationed in the same town of Cookstown, my brother was murdered by the same terrorist group - republican terrorists.  No one has ever been caught for his murder and that of his two policemen colleagues on that same June afternoon in 1977.

This reason for this might well be institutional cover-up in a bod to preserve the political institutions at Stormont.  These have to be kept at all costs; even justice can be sacrificed if necessary in order to preserve the institutions.  There is a justice minister, but it appears that he is just filling a newly created position for the time being.

I want those reading this post to be aware of the realities of Northern Ireland, or to use a phrase adopted by Dr Francis A Schaeffer, the "true truth" of this land.  All is not well here.  Security force personnel are still being targeted by republican terrorists (some of whose colleagues are now governing us).  One prison officer's mother told me that her family is on high alert and her husband never leaves their home without having his hand gun with him and ready for action if need be.  Many are still living under threat of terrorist attack, yet politicians through the media tell the world how wonderful a place Northern Ireland is now.  They talk about it being in a "post-conflict" situation.  If you imagine, wrongly, that all is at rest in Northern Ireland, you will not feel the need to pray for our land.

I am asking for your prayers for our land, that God will come and reform His church and revive His people. Pray for the protection of individuals who are of interest to republican terrorists - and there are many.  The authorities do not seem to be all that interested in what is happening,though for public consumption they speak words of condemnation.

I cannot decide why we have been inflicted with four decades of terrorism and more than 3600 lives lost therein.  Was it because we have been unfaithful to the Lord for generations, so He afflicted us for our rebellion?  That there is plenty of evidence to support this needs only to be stated to see the likelihood of this.  Or was it that we have been so faithful to the Lord of the Church that this is a Satanic attack response to God's working amongst us?  That there are some faithful ministers preaching the true saving Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is also a fact.

Bringing these two explanations together, while some men have faithfully declared the whole counsel of God, large tracts of the church failed to do so; hence some of what we have experienced is Satanic attack, but much of it is divine chastisement for faithlessness to Christ and His Gospel.

Whatever the explanation, WE NEED YOUR PRAYERS to the sovereign Lord ti intervene in grace and mercy to recall this nation back to Himself.