In a short telephone conversation today, a Fox news reporter interviewed NY congressman Bob Turner, whose home was among the 100 that caught fire during the destructive assault of Sandy. It was his home of 32 years and he and his family stayed to weather out the storm. He said they were expecting the high waters at Breezy Point but that no one could have predicted an out of control fire as this one was. There is one road leading in and out of the neighborhood and emergency vehicles could not get through the waters to offer help. So the neighbors watched helplessly as the horrific fires blazed.
The emotions of grief and helplessness must have been overwhelming as they watched the framework of many years blaze into ashes. But their family was safe and the support of family, friends and FEMA continues to swell. Drastic situations as this present an overriding surge of realization that when the powers of natures are unleashed, there is little we can do to circumvent the path of destruction, we can only hold tight to hope and know that a new day is dawning in spite of the visual and emotional aftermath.
This was not my personal story, nor yours, but many of you can relate to stories similar when your world was turned upside down
and all you could do was watch and pray as you witnessed a fiery display of nature powered destruction. We experience emotions that have a tendency to knock us off our feet, and helplessness that reminds us that truly we are not in control. But a new day is dawning, and hope is a welcomed platform on which to stand. For in every situation God is always there to extend his hand of hope to comfort us in our darkest hours.
Sometimes the relief efforts are slow to unfold, and the devastation is more that our minds and eyes can hardly embrace but God, on his mighty throne of authority remains constant; constantly comforting, constantly providing, constantly restructuring, constantly overseeing, constantly unifying, constantly helping, constantly extending his hand of hope, and constantly playing our his ultimate will. Looking in the rear view mirror, there have been storms that have caused great havoc, and God has been faithful to restore what was lost in destruction, and he will be faithful still in the wake of this storm.
It is hard to trust God when all before you has been turned into ashes, and the mere idea of restoration is far away in the distance of dreamed reality, but God says trust me. Trust me when the storms hit. Trust me when disaster strikes and destruction leaves a tattered trail of debris. Everyday somebody somewhere is hit by a surge of pain, too seemingly much to bear, but God intervenes and says hold tight to my hand of hope and a new day will soon dawn. Just as this clean up and rebuilding of Sandy will take days, weeks months and years to rebuild, so it is with our lives when a storm has pushed its way through our hearts and minds and families, and a surge of helplessness extends over the banks of our comforted boundaries. God will rebuild us and restore us and refresh us through his grace and his mercy. He will restore our power and generate within us a well being that brings about a positive perspective if only we keep our eyes focused on him and not on our circumstances.
Bob Turner's main focus was that his family was safe. Yes, he lost his home, and significant contents of memories and collected treasures but together God will give them the strength, the patience, the wherewithal and the confidence to rebuild and restore that which was taken from them in the fury of Sandy, nature's most powerful and devastating storm of the century. The things of this world are but a token of value, for true worthiness is found in the blessings of the relationships we nurture and have been blessed to be a vital part of. When we focus on people and not things, it is there that we find the real and lasting riches of God's kingdom.
Psalm 31:24
Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD.
Psalm 33:20
We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield.
Psalm 33:22
May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD, even as we put our hope in you.
Psalm 52:9
I will praise you forever for what you have done; in your name I will hope, for your name is good. I will praise you in the presence of your saints.
May God bless these folks whose properties have been damaged and destroyed. May he give them hope, His hope; that in spite of the overwhelming defeat brought on by this storm, victory will come. Not only in the material rebuilding efforts but also in the hearts that have been united through the efforts of aid and friendship. May they be hopeful in their longings, faithful in their pursuit, patience in their endeavors, and successful in their outcome. And may God's grace and comfort be the very balm that soothes their anxious hearts. Amen
No comments:
Post a Comment