Storms

I got this response from a colleague in Long Island, NY today:

Yes I made it through the hurricane. Today is my first day back to work since when the hurricane hits us last Monday 10/29. I have to say it was pretty scary for us New Yorkers. We are not use to these types of hurricanes. A lot of people lost their homes in long island that were either on the water or if they were close by the water they had major flooding. Also, areas in New Jersey were destroyed especially seaside heights, a very popular vacation spot in jersey. The boardwalk & original rides were wiped away along with homes. Very sad. But, now we have another situation going on here… is shortage of gas. The lines are wrapped around blocks, people are sleeping in their cars waiting for the gas trucks to come ..it is crazy. I am still waiting to get gas for my car. I have some for now but, you know that will eventually run out. We are hoping things will be better this week with the gas supply.

One more thing added to this whole hurricane disaster is that we are suppose to be getting a Northeastern storm on Wednesday with heavy rains and winds….unbelievable! This can cause more problems with power out again and flooding.

I can't even imagine the conditions for people along the coast, many not even able to return to their homes, let alone work. I naturally think about those with kids or extra medical needs and feel so bad for them especially.

I know it can be easy to say 'how can God let this happen?" and that's a question we often default to when bad stuff happens. It's actually not a "bad" question. In fact I challenge you to take it to God in prayer.

You see, bad things are not evidence that God is not loving. Quite the contrary. The very fact that God has not wiped mankind off the face of the earth in response to our rebellion and faithlessness is a sure sign of his love for everyone.

The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. So the Lord said, “I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them.”

Genesis 5:1-7

Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence. God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways. So God said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth.

Genesis 5:11-13

But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.

Genesis: 5:8

You know the story: Noah, a farmer, faithfully built a giant boat according to God's instruction (despite living in the middle of dry land and it never having rained before!). God sent two of every kind of animal to join Noah's family on the ark, and they were the only survivors of the flood that came up through the earth and down from the sky.

After the flood receded,

Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and, taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it. The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: “Never again will I curse the ground because of humans, even though every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done.

Genesis 8: 20-21

God has kept this and so many other promises to us, despite the vast majority of people rejecting Him.

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

2 Peter 3:9

For Christ-followers, who are heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, we need not fear death, because we will move into our inheritance. And it's an open invitation to become a "joint-heir" by asking Jesus to be your Savior.

For everyone else, rather than cursing God for allowing the trials to come, it would be better to be thankful that they are still alive and still have time to turn to God, before the final day of judgement.