My heart is broken for the suffering in Louisiana right now.
God directed me to several scriptures. Waking me from a sound sleep. I went to The Word. (Incidentally, night before last, I also woke from a sound sleep at the very hour Katrina was hitting, not knowing why, but I felt so restless and disturbed. Yow!)
Psalm 46: God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in time of trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains tremble in its tumult. God is our refuge and strength.
Psalm 107: Oh that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness and for His wonderful works to the children of men.
They go up to the heavens. They go down again in the depths. Their soul melts because of trouble. They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits end. Then they cry out to the Lord in their trouble and He brings them out of their distresses. He calms the storm, so that its waves are still. Then they are glad because they are quiet. So He guides them to their desired haven.
When they are diminished and brought low through oppression affliction and sorrow, He pours contempt on Princes and causes them to wander in the wilderness where there is no way. Yet he sets the poor on high, far from affliction, and makes their families like a flock. The righteous see it and rejoice, and all iniquity stops its mouth.
Psalm 18: He sent from above, He took me, He drew me out of many waters. He also brought me out into a broad place. he delivered me because He delighted in me.
Zechariah 9: 12 Return to the stronghold, you prisoners of hope. Even today I declare that I will restore double to you.
Isaiah 41: 10 Fear not for I am with you. Be not dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.
Isaiah 31: Words to Americans who rely on man and not God. These are hard words and only for some.
Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, and rely on horses, who trust in chariots, because they are many, and in horsemen because they are very strong, but who do not look to the Holy One of Israel, nor seek the Lord. Yet He also is wise and will bring disaster and will not call back His words.
Katrina is not God's judgment. It is a natural result of abuse of the environment. God has built natural consequences into the earth and unfortunately, we have foolishly challenged the limits. After all our polluting and now China's pollution, who knows where this leads? I admit - it's absolutely terrifying.
Our sin is that we are arrogant to the point of being abusive and careless and thinking God will miraculously wave a wand so that there are no consequences. People! God cannot keep on protecting us from all our foolishness. Sooner or later, consequences will come! Terrorism, if it is also a consequence, cuts much deeper than a natural disaster because it's people full of hate seeking to destroy us.
Yet, the sheer numbers in this disaster are staggering. I wish that all who are now safe from Katrina would mourn for those who are not, instead of trying to go on as if nothing happened, adding insult to injury.
1 comment:
Hi Gabrielle,
Saw your posting on Hurricane Katrina. Though I'm from half-way across the globe, we watch it on the evening news, and I share the sadness of what has happened. It's the same sadness that I have felt on several occasions: 9/11, the Bali Bombing, and most recently the Asian Tsunami, though Singapore is shielded from the tsunami because of its geographical position. Still, I would just like to share this psalm which my church calls "the protection of Psalms 91" and it's a psalm we have become familiar and know by heart, and draw upon for strength and in the knowledge that truly, no evil shall befall the blessed children of our Daddy God because He loves us. We even have a worship song for Psalms 91, written by one of our worship leaders; I have posted the lyrics too. Please have a look.
Psalms 91
1. He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
2. I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust."
3. Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler And from the perilous pestilence.
4. He shall cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler.
5. You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, Nor of the arrow that flies by day,
6. Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.
7. A thousand may fall at your side, And ten thousand at your right hand; But it shall not come near you.
8. Only with your eyes shall you look, And see the reward of the wicked.
9. Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, Even the Most High, your dwelling place,
10. No evil shall befall you, Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;
11. For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways.
12. In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.
13. You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.
14. "Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name.
15. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honour him.
16. With long life I will satisfy him, And show him My salvation."
Psalms 91 (Worship)
I will dwell in the secret place of the Most High,
I will stay in the shadow of Your wings,
For Lord You are my refuge,
my tower of strength,
My hope is in You,
Secure I stand.
Bridge:
You will deliver me,
Your truth will be my shield,
Jesus You cover me,
In Your love,
No fear prevails.
Chorus:
No evil, no terror,
No arrow, no plague,
Shall ever come near me,
For You are my safety,
My hiding place,
Jesus I trust in You.
Hope the lyrics of this song touch you, as it has touched me and reminded me of the love and protection of our Abba Father.
Shalom.
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