In America we’re used to being alerted in the Spring and Fall about fires and storms. This is a normal pattern.
Every once in awhile there are monster storms or fires. FEMA told us perhaps 25% of Houstonians and Floridians in the Keys lost their homes recently! I can’t comprehend that number or misery! I remember after the Northridge Quake in the ’90’s my neighborhood looked like a war zone, it’s something you never forget. Losing 25 % of an areas homes is like a nuclear bomb was detonated there.
Every day I awake thinking of those hurt by the storms. Then I’m reminded how God brought me out of the deep loss of my son going to heaven before me. Let me say, God is there with you! He’s blessed you before and He’ll continue to bless you! But you have to put your faith in Him, not the government or the weather. You may have to examine your purpose in life and rearrange some priorities perhaps, but ‘it’s all good’!
Sometimes we see people taken advantage of in these moments, but rest assured God sees. Just keep your eyes focused ahead of you, and not on what happened and you’ll find who you are in God. He will reveal what’s important to know! God is not some guy in the sky who takes away our power to help ourselves, He wants us to take charge of our lives and prepare and plan, then leave the rest to Him. He has power over storms, fires …. He can see far beyond your current circumstances.
Today I watched on CBN how Operation Blessing helped strip and rehab a home in Houston, and then help rehab another couple’s house in a coastal town. One family wasn’t Christian per se, but how they appreciated the help when they were destitute! And there are so many churches sending funds, food and people from all over America! There are people spending their own vacation time to help out!
Yes, it hurts to see people suffer, it’s painful to know their lives have been brought to the brink of death, and some will never be the same. But if we keep looking for God’s face in this and not blame Him or those who don’t believe in ‘climate warming’, or whatever, we will see God’s hand of provision and restoration. It won’t be like we imagined, but it will take us out of our self made ‘hardship’ mentality.
What’s really sad is that the people in the Gulf areas won’t recover in a couple months but it will likely take years to recover from these blows ….. we won’t hear about the tragedies much after a few weeks, but the church will not stop working! I know at these times some are thinking, ‘what is going on with our world, are these the End Times’? God does have a word about these ‘times’ in this crises, I pray people look for it.
We need to take our attention off celebrities and a ‘quick fix’ of raising money and look at the many more millions that are being spent out of people’s pocketbooks, church coffers, large ministry rescue operations. Police and fire departments are stretched to the max helping to pull those regions back together again! FEMA and local governments are assisting where they can. We need to be reminded of the web of people out there who will do what they must to bring help to those resting in God’s answers. We cannot go thru these crises in our country by ourselves, our broader church family will be working as well as our civil servants who give tirelessly!
What religion or country out there has the compassion for the hurting, needy like a Christian nation? What other gods are sending prayers, money or bodies and sacrificing for those they don’t even know?
It’s only us!