Pray Peace, Hope and Love! In His Word 10-8-2024
This weekend I was watching various examples of God providing for people who had to live through a flood and a storm. They watched their lives wash away from vehicles to homes, and even the roads were breaking off and floating away. I found myself crying for these people and wishing I could go there to help them but as I watched more and more roads float away I realized that even if I lived nearby I personally would not be able to help. I couldn’t get to the people for one thing. I had to do something!
I am ashamed to say I should have done this first, but I began
to pray. Each video I watched I could have prayed for each person, but I was so
caught up in questions of how will they live, where will they go, that I forgot
to ask God to guide them.
Today I watched consecutive videos of one family as they
went through the full ordeal. I was amazed at how close they worked together,
the family from infant to teen, parents and then a grandparent, and eventually
even neighbors that the family had cleared the roads to check on.
One son, about 10 or so was scared he wanted to go up to the
safe place on the mountain beside them that would be the last resort I am sure.
The teen son was busy helping dad move things latch a
container bin to a tree with a chain, trying to save animals on their farm. He
did not complain, he went to work saving his families life stock, and doing
what he could as he calculated the river growth and helped his dad figure the
best way to keep the water from getting the house. The mom stood on the porch and cried, thinking
of how much damage it was doing as the creek turned into a full blown river
that threatened their very livelihood! She was calculating the financial issues
they would begin to have once it stopped, if it stopped before their house! Poll barn that held their hay bales she
clasped her hands together and closed her eyes. “Don’t let it get to our bales,
make it stop!” Then she silently prayed. I cannot be certain, but I believe it
may have been similar to this portion of Psalm18.
I love you, Lord; you
are my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my
rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and
my place of safety. I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and he saved
me from my enemies. The ropes of death entangled me; floods of destruction
swept over me. The grave wrapped its ropes around me; death laid a trap in my path. But in my
distress I cried out to the Lord; yes, I prayed to my God for help. He heard me
from his sanctuary; my cry to him reached his ears. Then the earth quaked and
trembled. The foundations of the mountains shook; they quaked because of his
anger. Smoke poured from his nostrils; fierce flames leaped from his mouth. Glowing
coals blazed forth from him. He opened the heavens and came down; dark storm
clouds were beneath his feet…Psalm 1-9
Then the storm finally stopped, and the sun came out! Days
of rain came to a halt! The creek began receding enough that the older two
kids went up to check on grampa. Then they began bringing the cows and sheep
and horses home from the mountain.
Now I know this took a lot of days, in fact, there was a
post of a week later. The older son and dad were using small equipment they
had on the farm to clean trees, fill in spaces in the road… so much was done by
the whole family together. The dad even spoke about the fact they were working
on a Sunday, the work had to be done, so he said, it was what they had to do to
make sure everyone out there in their community was safe.
The Lord, my God, lights up my darkness. In your strength I
can crush an army; with my God I can scale any wall. God’s way is perfect. All
the Lord’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for
protection. For who is God except the Lord? Who but our God is a solid rock?
God arms me with strength, and he makes my way perfect. He makes me as
surefooted as a deer, enabling me to
stand on mountain heights. He trains my hands for battle; he strengthens my arm
to draw a bronze bow. You have given me your shield of victory. Your right hand
supports me; your help has made me great. You have made a wide path for my feet
to keep them from slipping.
Psalm 18: 30-36
This is not like my usual blog post today, but I wanted to
point out that the Lord, the same Lord that we know and pray to for healing,
and for our needs personally can help those out there that we don’t even know,
that we do not even see. He sees them just as He sees us.
So today what I want us to do is to pray for those who live in the damaged areas,
those who lost loved ones, those who lost…everything…to come to the Lord and
ask Him to help them. To feed them, clothe them, give them direction in life.
Show them how to help one another and to accept the help offered them.
My God shall supply all my needs according to His riches in
glory! Philippians 4:19
Lord we pray and ask for peace over those who are
floundering in the muddy homes trying to save stuff they loved. Help them to
find joy again as they rebuild their homes or their lives. Keep those safe in
the next storm coming through! Lord, point them to You! In Jesus’ name…
Thank Him for those who made it out of the storm and into
the dry lands.
Look out of your comfort zone today and trust God to lead
you to pray for those around you, and beyond your reach…in Jesus name, and In
His Love.