The other day I let JoJo, our little 9 pound poodle, outside to run around and “do his thing”. JoJo never wanders far from our country home. After a few minutes I heard a blood curdling dog-scream — a sound I’ve never heard before and hope to never hear again. I looked out the back and didn’t see him; I looked out the front and there he was huddled next to the service door of the garage with a big black lab and a scrawny black and white mix close at this heels. I ran and opened the door just enough for him to enter without the “Bully Dogs” and swept him up in my arms. He was covered in dog saliva and shaking from head to tail.

JoJo knows what it feels like to be beat up and bullied. (Poor little guy.) If God cares for birds that fall, then He certainly cares for dogs that get attacked. And how much more does He care for those who are bullied. Let’s pray for souls that have experienced pain at the hands of persecutors.

Father,

We ask for your protection over those who have experienced bullying. Please rescue them from emotional and physical danger, and from the fear associated with this trauma.

We cry out to you — use us as your instruments of peace to nourish their souls, to bring encouragement, and to release them from anxiety and the insecurity that comes when we feel weak.

Help these victims to forgive their enemies as you instructed, and may we use our words to pray for blessing upon those who do us harm. May that blessing ultimately be a transformation of heart, which we pray you will grant us all. As counter-intuitive as Your ways are, they are our pathway to freedom.

“He reached down from on high and took hold of me, he drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes who were too strong for me. They confronted me on my day of disaster, but the Lord was my support.” ~ 2 Samuel 22:17

We trust in You to deliver us from trauma, fear, and abuse of every kind, for that is why you came and faced the bullies, religious and political, who crucified you that Passover day 2,000 years ago.

Amen.

Random Notes and The Rest of the Story:
JoJo is named after the broadway musical Suessical character. Oddly enough, both of our boys played that role a few years apart when they were about 10. Thus, JoJo is both their namesakes, sort of.
We took JoJo to the vet after this ordeal, where he got stitched up, wrapped up, and loved up. He laid low for a couple of days, and soon he was running around, healed and whole again. Thank You, God. We thought he might be afraid of going outdoors, but that memory has been healed. God hears our prayers for our pets! Mark and our son both had heart-to-heart talks with the neighbors who own the dogs. They were kind and very apologetic. I think we have made new friends… God works miracles everyday…

Blessed are the bullied, for they shall be healed, strengthened, and encouraged. That’s the Kingdom for you.