Out of the Rubble

Psalm 121:1-2 -  I will lift up my eyes to the hills--from whence comes my help? My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth. 

We've seen disaster after disaster here in the United States. First the tornadoes, then the flooding and now fires blazing uncontrollably for now. It's heart rending and curious. What will come of all this? No doubt we will rally together to bring those people and communities back together. We're good at that.

My question and my prayer is, will God be glorified in all this? Yes, glorified! Glorified in the rubble. Praised despite the circumstances. 1Thessalonians 5:13 - ...in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Will He be the  center of all these people's lives as they rebuild? Will He be the one to truly raise them up out of the rubble?

These people have lost so much. Insurance can help to rebuild naturally. But I will always say the best insurance is Jesus Christ. I'm sure some who know Christ as they are going through all this are trusting He will take care of them. Some who know Christ might not be as strong in their faith and might not see where good might come out of all the disaster. Others might fall away completely in anger or disappointment coming from a lack of understanding of God's sovereignty. And then there are those who will come to faith because of this...because all else has been depleted. Because someone showed them God's love and told them about Him. That's God's hand at work.

I heard about a church awhile back in Joplin, Missouri that was very badly damaged by a tornado. It didn't stop them from clearing an area where Convoy of Hope could set up a distribution center. And they had Sunday service in their parking lot. They were a blessing to the community in the midst of their problems. And they showed their dedication to God, no doubt worshipped Him with all their hearts. And when we step out to help others in our own time of need, and continue to bless Him, I believe the Lord steps in to provide whatever we need...

I personally know how when one goes through a horrific experience how the power of the Holy Spirit will rise up within to bring about a witness to God's faithfulness and strength in the midst of all trouble. It's amazing how the boldness comes and words flow. It's like the Holy Spirit Himself rises up out of our own inward rubble and God is revealed within us like never before. I pray that this is what is happening all across the United States as rebuilding of lives and communities takes place.

But it is important to know Jesus before these things happen. So many times I've heard, "I can't imagine going through tough times without Jesus." Where's the hope if people don't know Him? Do they hope in their insurance or government? That's fine and good for the present, in the natural, but hope in Jesus Christ is the better way. He promises to take care of us, to never leave us nor forsake us... if we know Him personally.

Christians know that they have lost earthly possessions and maybe even family and friends in this tragedy, but they have not lost their2 Jesus. That's the beauty of a relationship with Christ. It's the only and best thing we have. God is eternal. This earth is not. Things of the world may fade away but God's Word lasts forever. That Word is Jesus. His promises despite our situations hold strong to those who put complete trust in Him. He is our Jehovah Rapha, the healer of ALL our troubles. He is our Jehovah Jireh, our provider.

When we look at all that is happening in this world and question the meaning of it all, it helps to remember that God is still in control. What may seem disastrous could be the very thing that brings about good, even if that means turning to Jesus at a bad time in our lives.  If we rely too much on what we hold so dear and our focus is off the Lord, perhaps He is just stirring things up that our focus would be steered back to Him. Look at all the times the Israelites turned their backs on God only to be taken captive by their enemies, or were thrown into slavery, or God removed Himself for a time from their presence. It was His way of getting them to see what they had done, repent of their sins, cry out to Him for deliverance, and return back to Him.

Jesus wants us to cry out for deliverance...out of the rubble of our lives, He will clean us up and renew our lives. He will bring renewed joy and confidence. He will show us how much He loves us and wants to take care of us. It only takes our own willing hearts to receive this from Him and let go of the world's false hopes and desires.

My prayer is for God to be glorified in all this. If He has some great plan, let it happen. Let us be able to look back someday and say, I can see God's hand in it all. Things around us at times might seem overwhelming. We might seem to lose ground in life's circumstances, but as God would say, "fear not." He is there wanting us to trust in Him. Oh, let us praise Him... Psalm 45:2.

If we know this Jesus who captures our soul and looks out for us, we can know that He is by our side through all things and we just need to call out to Him. If you don't know Jesus, you might want to. Seek Him in the rubble of your own life and He will raise you up. He will put your feet on solid ground and bring a new outlook on life.

Psalm 39:7 - "and now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in You."