He Still Remembers

Introduction

in the month of April of last year, our country was once again alarmed with the news of an another fatal murder of a young black man by the hands of a police officer. Daunte Wright, a 20 year old black man as fatally shot by police officer Kimberly Potter during a traffic stop and attempted arrest for an outstanding warrant in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota. After a brief struggle with officers, Officer Kimberly Potter shot Wright in the chest once at close range. He then drove off a short distance, but his vehicle collided with another and hit a concrete barrier. Some police officers tried to provide CPR to Daunte , but were unable to revive him, and he was pronounced dead at the scene. Officer Potter said she meant to use her service Taser, shouting "Taser! Taser! Taser!" but instead “accidentally” drew her handgun and fire.

As you know this caused much uproar and protests and Officer Potter was imprisoned on a guilty verdict in late December. The former police officer who fatally shot Daunte Wright during a traffic stop was sentenced to two years in prison on Friday, far less than the standard of about seven years for manslaughter, after a judge said leniency was warranted because the officer had meant to fire her Taser and not her gun. NY Times article stated that after the judge handed down the sentence, shortly after Ms. Potter sobbed while apologizing to Mr. Wright’s family in court on Friday.

“I am so sorry that I brought the death of your son,” Ms. Potter said. Speaking directly to Mr. Wright’s mother, she said: “Katie, I understand a mother’s love and I am sorry I broke your heart. My heart is broken for all of you.”

Although many including Daunte’s parents were not satisfied with the verdict, I watched in the news the sadness and loss in Daunte’s mother’s eyes. As I watched various Youtube clips of her responses, I could not help but ask the question, “God how many mothers have to suffer seeing there children buried unjustly?” “God how many hearts have to get broken just for the world to see that we need to see that violence isn’t the answer?? How many parents have to greave the loss of their black sons? Slavery has ended over 100 years ago and still so many black parents are suffering from the loss of their children? God how much pain do we still have to take?

As I pondered this…I was lead to read in Bible a story, a very short story hidden between some very well known plots of Luke’s narrative. In Luke 7:11 were introduced to a small place called Nain, the next location of Jesus’ visit.. Now the name in itself “Nain” means loveliness and green pastures and it was only about for miles away from Mount Tabor. Nain was a small place but earned a name so loving which could only speak so highly of the area. Yet in Nain there was much pain. Jesus and his followers only approach the gate to see that a funeral procession is happening. A widow has lost her only son and now she is by herself. She is now all alone in a hostiel world; no family to take care of her.

Luke Comments

Luke provided this description to reveal not only the emotional loss of the woman but also the desperate economic straits she was now in. With neither a husband nor a son to care for her, she would have had no means of support

She was in such pain. I could only imagine her prayers, her pleading, her begging, wondering if God would ever bring and end to the suffering.

Many years ago, prophets such as Elijiah and Elisha had healed Once she leaves that gate with her sons body her life is about to change. Yet little did she know that the greaest miracle of her life was at the gate.

As death was about toexit

hoplessness,

despair,

stress and anxiety

grief

was about to exit the gate!!! Life was about to enter.

It’s at this small gate life and death would cross paths but when she was about to leave that gate possibly feeling forgotten and alone, Jesus stops becaue when death and suffering looks like the end of the story Jesus steps in!

He tells her Don’t cry!

He healed the boy

The town was amazed, God has visited his people. he has remembered them!

Godd is still paying people a visit!

Despit ethe suffering, loos s and hardships God still remembers his people!