Thank God Katrina weakened and shifted!
Despite the loss of precious lives so far and to come, as well as the destruction in Mississippi and the massive water damage to New Orleans, I'm thankful that Hurricane Katrina got weaker and veered east of New Orleans before landfall. The devestation would have been, and was predicted to be, much worse.
Seeing the people in boats on the flooded streets of downtown New Orleans reminded me of a story about recognizing God's providence in a time of need. I'll see if I can retell it tersely:
The mayor of a town ordered the residents to evacuate as the nearby river threatened to overflow it's banks and flood the town. A rescue bus that was going thru town to pick up stranded citizens stopped at one man's house as he sat on the porch, awaiting the floodwaters. "Get in!" the driver yelled to the man. "Let's get outa here!"
"No thanks", replied the man, "God will take care of me. I'm staying right here, trusting in the Lord." And the bus sped off to pick up other people.
Awhile later, as the floodwaters rose to the first floor window sills, the man was looking out a second story window when a rescue boat pulled up to his house. "Jump in and let's get outa here!", hollered the boatman.
"Thanks anyway, but I'm trusting in the Lord to see me thru this flood. I'm sure He'll take care of me and spare me from harm. God bless you, though!" The bewildered boatman pulled away to look for others to help.
As the flood waters rose to cover most of the roof, the man was clinging to the chimney at the peak of the house when he heard a rescue helicopter approaching him. As it hovered above him, the pilot lowered a harness to the man and told him to strap it on and he would pull the man to rescue.
"Thank you very kindly, but I'm going to trust God to rescue me. I just need to wait on the Lord", said the man. "Are you crazy?!", the pilot shouted. "Get in the harness!"
But the man persisted, "I've been a faithful servant all my life, and I know that the Lord won't abandon me in my time of need. Thanks anyway, and Godspeed to you!" The pilot shook his head and flew away to help somebody else.
As the swirling torrent of water rose above the house, the man clung to the top of the chimney, and drowned.
When he got to Heaven, the man earnestly sought the Lord for an explanation to his abandonment and demise. "Lord, even after trusting in you so faithfully to rescue me in my time of need, why did you abandon me?"
"But my son, I sent you a bus, a boat, and a helicopter!"
We are His hands and feet in this world. It is we whom He has called upon to help those less fortunate around us, wherever we may be.
"We" can take may forms: churches and synagogues, the Red Cross, civic organizations like the Jaycees, the Lions, and the Shriners, or large outreaches like Samaritan's Purse or Feed the Children, etc. Even- as a last resort- the government.
So, when you are in a jam and pray to God for help, expect it to come through human hands.
Brad
Seeing the people in boats on the flooded streets of downtown New Orleans reminded me of a story about recognizing God's providence in a time of need. I'll see if I can retell it tersely:
The mayor of a town ordered the residents to evacuate as the nearby river threatened to overflow it's banks and flood the town. A rescue bus that was going thru town to pick up stranded citizens stopped at one man's house as he sat on the porch, awaiting the floodwaters. "Get in!" the driver yelled to the man. "Let's get outa here!"
"No thanks", replied the man, "God will take care of me. I'm staying right here, trusting in the Lord." And the bus sped off to pick up other people.
Awhile later, as the floodwaters rose to the first floor window sills, the man was looking out a second story window when a rescue boat pulled up to his house. "Jump in and let's get outa here!", hollered the boatman.
"Thanks anyway, but I'm trusting in the Lord to see me thru this flood. I'm sure He'll take care of me and spare me from harm. God bless you, though!" The bewildered boatman pulled away to look for others to help.
As the flood waters rose to cover most of the roof, the man was clinging to the chimney at the peak of the house when he heard a rescue helicopter approaching him. As it hovered above him, the pilot lowered a harness to the man and told him to strap it on and he would pull the man to rescue.
"Thank you very kindly, but I'm going to trust God to rescue me. I just need to wait on the Lord", said the man. "Are you crazy?!", the pilot shouted. "Get in the harness!"
But the man persisted, "I've been a faithful servant all my life, and I know that the Lord won't abandon me in my time of need. Thanks anyway, and Godspeed to you!" The pilot shook his head and flew away to help somebody else.
As the swirling torrent of water rose above the house, the man clung to the top of the chimney, and drowned.
When he got to Heaven, the man earnestly sought the Lord for an explanation to his abandonment and demise. "Lord, even after trusting in you so faithfully to rescue me in my time of need, why did you abandon me?"
"But my son, I sent you a bus, a boat, and a helicopter!"
We are His hands and feet in this world. It is we whom He has called upon to help those less fortunate around us, wherever we may be.
"We" can take may forms: churches and synagogues, the Red Cross, civic organizations like the Jaycees, the Lions, and the Shriners, or large outreaches like Samaritan's Purse or Feed the Children, etc. Even- as a last resort- the government.
So, when you are in a jam and pray to God for help, expect it to come through human hands.
Brad
posted by Brad @ 6:01 PM
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