for he cares for you
May 25, 2011 (Wednesday)
The tornado damage in Joplin, Missouri has resulted in great loss of life. Their experience is hauntingly reminiscent of the storm that tore through Waco, Texas in 1953, fifty-eight years ago. The number of people killed, at last count, was very similar to the total in the 1953 tornado. The Joplin storm, however, seems to be wider in scope in the six-mile stretch of destruction, much of it total devastation, with nothing left standing. We are all aware of the other storms that have hit several sections of the nation this spring, most recently Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Arkansas.
Many people in many places are experiencing tragedy of many kinds. If we could hear all the prayers crying for help and mercy, the sound would crush our spirits completely. God hears it all.
Whatever we feel led to do in helping those who are suffering as a result of nature’s rampage, or for other reasons, will be deeply appreciated. Efforts to help communities experiencing natural disasters will continue for a long time to come.
Every day we are confronted by human suffering of many kinds. Sometimes it seems like more than people can possibly stand, but when these things come our way, we have no choice but to endure them.
As Christians, we face adversity with faith in our hearts, and that faith really helps. We may not be able to see the reasons for suffering, but we can rest assured that the Lord knows all about it, and he will carry us through the troubled times. The alternative of facing crises totally alone with bitterness and cynicism is self-defeating and completely comfortless. We make choices in life, and we have more freedom to do so than many of us realize. What happens to us on the outside may be beyond our control, but what goes on inside our minds and hearts is between us and God.