REFLECTIONS FROM AFTER THE STORM

As I write this, I find myself sitting in a comfortable home, with lights and air conditioning and running hot and cold water, a far cry from what I experienced earlier in the week, but still a far cry from what many thousands of people in the states of Florida and Texas continue to deal with.

On Monday of this week, Hurricane Irma rolled through our community in south Georgia.  Thankfully, God heard our prayers and the intensity of the storm was less than predicted.  While we had gusts approaching hurricane-force winds, the overall wind field was much smaller and the damage much less than it could have been.  People in south Georgia are just not prepared for hurricane-force winds, and our homes and businesses are not built to that standard.  The biggest hazards we faced were falling trees and limbs. 

A few houses and cars were damaged from trees and limbs toppled over in the storm, but the biggest impact in our area was the loss of electricity.  Most had power restored within 24 hours because of the tireless and sacrificial work of the power crews and linemen, but some, like us, endured multiple days without power.  Some in our county still have no electricity, and are continuing to adapt to a temporary life of bottled water, no air conditioning, and no refrigerator to keep food from spoiling.

But, still, I am aware that what we deemed a hardship was nothing compared to the devastation that the residents of Houston, the Florida Keys, and south Florida are continuing to face this morning.  I am very thankful for God’s grace to south Georgia during this storm, and for His touch on our lives through the power outage that led to greater awareness of the damages and the devastation that others are continuing to face.  My prayers continue to go up for the people affected by the storm, and we continue to help financially as much as possible.

So what lessons can we learn from this storm, even if we were not affected by it as much as others?  How can we use Hurricane Irma to inform our Christian experience and witness?

A guy I follow on Twitter (@NotKennyRogers -- check him out) posted this thought earlier this week: 

“Heard a good explanation for why God sends hurricanes tonight: 

           1.  Show us life is fragile. 

           2.  Makes us focus on what’s really important.”

I think that’s very true.  As we watched the storm develop in the Atlantic and started tracking its impending path -- realizing it could potentially affect us -- it made us more aware of what was truly important and what was not.  Things don’t matter.  Material possessions don’t matter.  As we began making preparations for the storm, our first thoughts were not on our electronics or our furniture or any of those items, but on ensuring the safety of our family and friends.  Lives matter.  Relationships matter.  And taking care of others during a crisis matters.  Rick Scott, the Governor of Florida, said several times during this storm, “Things can be replaced.  Your life cannot.”  The truth of that statement is really felt when you face the reality of a hurricane heading your way.

But, we must remember, that even as precious our physical lives are, nothing matters more than our spiritual lives.  As humans, we tend to focus on the material -- on what we can see and feel and touch.  Our thoughts during the storm were on preservation of the physical, earthly things, including our lives.  But storms like Harvey and Irma should remind us of the fleeting nature of our physical lives and stir us to action spiritually.

This passage from the Book of Isaiah became my foundation during the storm:

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are Mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.” (Isaiah 43:1b-3a)

Reading this passage and reflecting on it by candlelight as the storm raged around me, I came to know deep within myself that -- no matter what might happen on this earth -- no matter what might happen to my physical life -- I was redeemed.  I am immortal because I have been redeemed and saved through the blood of Jesus. 

The storm held no terror -- the rising floodwaters no fear -- the fire no dread -- for what are storms and floods and fires to an immortal soul redeemed and held safe by the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, our Savior?

My light and momentary afflictions during Hurricane Irma changed my prayers for the people of Florida and Texas.  Yes, we need to be concerned about their physical health and well-being.  I pray that all those affected will find safe places to live, to have food and clean water, to be protected from harm.  But, I also pray that God’s grace would be felt through the hands of those ministering to them during this time.  That they would come to see the presence of Jesus through His church in action, and that priorities would be change, that importance would be realigned to place God and spiritual lives at the top.  I pray that the hearts of the people of Texas and Florida would be turned towards God, and they would know Him in a new and personal way -- that this storm and the devastation that affected their physical lives would lead them to the cross of Christ, to the permanence of redemption through the blood of our Savior shed on Calvary.  I pray that this storm results in a renewal, a revival, a revolution in their spiritual lives and in the spiritual life of our country.  I pray that everyone affected comes to know Jesus as their Savior, and no longer fears the storm, the flood, nor the fire any longer.