Thursday, November 8, 2012

After the Storm, What's Left? God Is!

Sandy, the Super Storm, did her damage and left.  Many people are exclaiming, "The Jersey shore is gone, completely gone!"  I have seen the pictures, and it breaks my heart.  All the debris, all the homes with no walls to hold them up.  Sand-covered streets everywhere.  I heard that the sand cannot just be bulldozed back to the shore; it has to be sifted first.  What a monumental task is ahead for the people who live on the Jersey shore.

In Staten Island it doesn't seem to stop.  The stories are heart wrenching, and the lights are still off over a week later.  There were more killed on this little island than anywhere else in the area hit. 

In Northern New Jersey the trees have sheared houses in half, and brought towns to their knees.  The cost of the damage is astronomical. 

In Brooklyn, the aftermath of fires and floods leave behind broken dreams; and only memories of what used to be are left behind.  Lower Manhattan flooded, the tunnels, literally under water. 

People who were relying on generators to give them some heat, or to run a small stove to feed the children a canned meal have to wait in line for hours for gasoline.  It's like the 1970s again; odd and even days determine who gets gas. 

There is all this devastation.  There is so much loss.  And you know what, dear Reader?  I haven't heard anything about other nations coming to our aid.  It seems they never do.  We, as a country lend quickly to other nations when they are devastated with earthquakes, tsunamis, or other disasters.  The United States sends the help, the laborers, and the money immediately.  Meanwhile, as she sits in ruins, no one calls asking if they can help. 

So the help comes from within this country.  Not from the United Nations which is housed in New York City or from any of the countries represented by it, but from other towns and other cities and other states in this God-blessed land! 

The mayor of Belmar, NJ declared that they will be up and running by Memorial Day!  Here is a town that has damage on almost every street, yet the hope of the residents is to bring it back to life and show the world that they are survivors.  There are thousands of people without power but grateful to still have a roof over their heads. 

Then a week later a nor'easter came through the same areas of New York and New Jersey.  Five inches of snow straddle the remaining branches still covered with leaves, it being so early in the season.  In Connecticut, eight inches of snow fell.  The winds blew at 60 mph, scattering the piles of debris, the belongings of families that were destroyed by water, making it even worse somehow to look at all this and believe that a new day would be coming and with it any hope of renewal or restoration.  In total, so far the death toll from Sandy alone is at least 85.

I’m sure there are many out there wondering where God was through all this.  Some even explaining how this is proof that there is no God, because a loving God wouldn’t do this to His children, would He? 

I shake my head when the God haters and atheists come out in droves at times like this and spew their own miserable kind of stench out for the media to pick up; and it amazes me how they always comment on the stories about the circumstances, whether a tornado, blizzard, earthquake, hurricane, or whatever it may be.  “So where WAS your God?”

I know that our God was there.  I know that He kept His mighty hand of protection on millions of people during that storm; otherwise there would have been many more dead.  We live in a time where society has taken everything good, called it bad, and taken evil and called it good.  We live in a society that fully believes in child sacrifice, votes for the one who promises it the loudest, and then demands that a monument be erected in the area where a delivery truck full of fish turned over.  We should remember and memorialize the dead fish!  Mind you, they were already dead, but let’s sacrifice the children without batting an eye.

Our God is an awesome God, and He is fully aware of every single thing that happens in this universe.  Nothing goes on without Him knowing about it, He created everything down to the last detail, and loves His work.  He made each one of us in His own image.

Why didn’t He stop this storm?  As I said in my last post, I believe that if the people of this country got on their knees and prayed and asked God’s forgiveness for their indignant and immoral behavior and asked Him to keep the storm from hitting that He would have.  With all my heart I believe that.  The effective fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much (James 5:16).  God hears our prayers.  He also hears when we curse Him and throw Him out of our schools, and court houses, and in some cases, I think our churches.  He is a gracious God, and will do as asked, even if it breaks His heart.

If you want to see Him back in times of disaster, perhaps it’s time to ask Him back.  We as a country need to put our own greedy desires aside and seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness and then, as promised, all those things will be added unto us.  I personally want God to be so big in my life that I can’t ignore Him.  I believe His promises are true, and I believe He is faithful and loving and kind.  I believe that I matter to Him more than anything else He created.  We are His children and He loves us. 

So please, dear Reader, I know the world seems dim right now, and the land is dark and totally messed up, and perhaps what was once your home and your livelihood may be gone, and if you have lost what you believe is everything that mattered, please know that you haven’t lost the love of God.  And you won’t.  No matter what.  He is there, and He is waiting for you to call on Him.  Ask Him back into your heart, and believe that He still works miracles and wonders and that He can take all your pain away.  Sometimes the only way to see the obvious is to remove all the other things. 

My heart goes out to all those who lost their jobs, their homes, their belongings, and some, their family members.  I continue to pray for you and ask God to comfort and guide you and give your weary bodies rest.  We need to believe that with God all things are possible, and that we can do all things through Christ Jesus which strengthens us.  We ARE overcomers.  We ARE more than conquerors.  We are children of the Most High God, and we are victorious!  God bless you, and the United States of America.  May she come back to the country she once was; God-fearing and proud of her Christian roots!

“If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you?  What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving.  People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works.  Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions.  Don’t worry about missing out.  You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.

“Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow.  God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.”  Matt 6:31-34 MSG

 


14 comments:

  1. Thanks Deirdre for a pretty accurate post on the devastation of the storm. aside from God, no one helped staten Island but our natives. Fema came when it was almost a week later and left generators where the ones needing them could not get to them, The Red Cross came almost a week late too as well as the National Guard--Obama came and promised us help then left-as usual talking the talk but not following up. Our people have clothing and water and everything they need to live--except for some their homes and for others their loved ones. But God was with us as we took care of our own.

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    1. Micki, we can rest assured that man will desert us, but our loving Father will not, no matter the circumstances. I pray that relief and recovery comes soon. You are all in my prayers! May God bless each of you with all your needs met. Love you.

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  2. Beautifully written, Deirdre. God still moves but not the way He did in the Old Testament. He moves through the Holy Spirt, through HIs people. A lot of righteous prayers were said and heard.

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  3. Amen to that, Linnea! God bless you my friend!

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  4. Deidre, your powerful words hit at the heart and soul tonight and came at just the right time. I was reading some comments on a newpaper article this afternoon which reflected mostly those who are atheists or semi-believers. The writer's rebuttals were swift and cut right to the bone of those who wish to deny Christ and put the blame of all misfortune upon the hands of God. It is man who must see the light and walk in the ways of truth and justice. God bless you, Deirdre, for you are truly one of Christ's angels.

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    1. Yes, Sharla, it is time that man sees that he is not over God Almighty, but is the creation. We allow nonbelievers and blasphemers to have the podium without rebuttal. I am glad to hear of this writer you mention above. Kudos to him. We all have to come out of our shell and speak the Word, which is the Truth! God bless you, Sharla!

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  5. Deirdre, I actually saw a news article where Israeli Aid Missions are sending people to help with hurricane relief (http://www.jewishpress.com/news/breaking-news/israeli-aid-missions-providing-relief-to-hurricane-sandy-victims/2012/11/09/). However, you're right -- this seems to be the exception. So sad. I hope our government reassesses its priorities and helps people here before sending more money overseas!

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    1. Thank God for that! I heard that Iran told us to let them know if we needed anything. Yep, call on the enemy and be put under his foot! I pray this administration doesn't take them up on the offer. Have a blessed day, Sandy, and thank you for stopping by!

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  6. This is a greatly written blog post. A reminder of what nature can do to us. And still: I worried about my family being in Sandy's way.
    I enjoyed your words and post, Deirdre. You are such a talented writer!

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  7. The disaster has nothing to do with God. In fact, God preserved many lives and homes. The disaster has to do with man, in his attempting to BE GOD, in his manipulation whether intentionally, or unintentionally through his lifestyle patterns (whether you think there is climate change/global warming or not) in cities and around communities and not asking God for wisdom in where communities are set up, etc. When God is asked for wisdom and council in how to live, in how to build, in how to budget financially, there is prosperity. And if there are down times...they are cyclical (look at the prosperity and faminethat Joseph interpreted in Pharoah's dream and then helped counsel how to prepare for it) then sure wise men counseled by God can prepare for such things to preserve life. Great leaders do this; unfortunately, many of our leaders are not only NOT great, but they are self-serving liars...which also is predicted in the Bible, when a leader does not hear the voice of the Lord and is misguided, or lies about knowing God in order to get votes and then does all many of actions contrary to God's word, for example, allowing USURY TO FLOURISH without giving a jubilee period or forgiveness of debts (declaring bankruptcy is not an example of this.) So God is always good. It's man made problems that create the havoc, loss of life and destruction and specifically, the rotten leaders that exacerbate this.

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    1. I agree with you, but also think it has everything to do with God, not just man. With all that we do, God is still willing to forgive and bless the land! As it says in 2 Chronicles 7:13-14, "When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, if My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

      We are also called to pray for our leaders. And we must forgive them. It's never too late to repent. God bless you, and thank you for commenting!

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  8. God works in mysterious ways. Sometimes we need to be humbled in order to see what is in front of us. Sometimes we need to be humbled to feel God's presence and be thankful. We are now entering the month that we celebrate what we are thankful for. This has been a terrible storm with horrendous devastation, however, let us celebrate those that are alive and will face tomorrow. Let us celebrate each new day. Put aside unnecessary wants and desires (the devil's tools) and take a moment to live in the moment. Take a moment to love thy neighbor as thy self. Do not expect other countries to do what we can do for ourselves. What makes us strong is we take care of our own.

    Deidre you have a wonderful post and I not only enjoyed reading it but I felt your heart and soul in your writing. That's what life is about. It is time to put passion back into our country. This is our country and God is our God stand up and appreciate it with love.

    God bless all those who step forward to help this country.

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    1. Yes, this is the month to show our appreciation for all the blessings, large and small, those that we can see and those we take for granted. The fact that we are alive and know He is God is something to truly feel gratitude about. Thank you so much for taking time to comment and reminding us we need to humble ourselves to God. Have a blessed day!

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