Thursday August 31, 2011

I don’t watch the news much and some of you are going to think some negative thoughts about that statement. Let me tell you why I don’t watch the news that much. Almost two-thirds of the news reports on those who have been killed or shot or robberies. It fills your mind with negative things and rarely with positive thoughts. It’s about all th catastrophic things that are happening throughout the world every day with gruesome tales of death and destruction. I got to the point where I was so saturated with that information that I had no feelings for what was taking place. So I stopped watching it and would get my news from people who we’re talking about these events in normal conversation.

Well last night I had some time and turned on the news and heard a report that so far this year we have spent 66 billion on the catastrophes so far this year and we have run out of money to pay for these destructive events. There have been 11 hurricanes, numerous tornadoes, major fires in Arizona to name a few. The government needs to allocate(print) more money to take care of the present hurricane that reeked havig up and down the eastern coastline. As I was reading in Isaiah this morning I came across this verse that speaks to what we are dealing with. “Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things, things planned long ago. You have made the city a heap of rubble, the fortified town a ruin, the foreigners’ stronghold a city no more; it will never be rebuilt. Therefore strong peoples will honor you; cities of ruthless nations will revere you. You have been a refuge for the poor, a refuge for the needy in their distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat.” (Isaiah 25:1-4 NIV) God is aware of all the catastrophic events and it says that He planned them long ago. I don’t understand the perspective of God planning these events long ago, but I do believe in a God that loves the world and uses these things to draw people to Himself. The problem arises in the media where it reports on the destructive nature of what is going on, but doesn’t report on neighbor helping neighbor. People lending a hand to someone they don’t even know. Individuals from other states driving to the devastated area and giving assistance. I believe if more energy were put into seeing the positive out of a devestating situation, more people would see God as one who as Paul writes, “God causes all things to work together for good.” (Romans 8:28)

On this journey, when devastation occurs, be quick to see the positive that God is working in that situation.