I shed a few tears this morning as Joel and I drove the last several hours of our evacuation from Key Largo to our Pigeon Forge, TN home due to hurricane Irma. Crying is an emotion I seldom express but my fatigue from hurricane prep and long hours of travel wore away my usual emotional reserve.
As we drove, there were teary and distraught phone conversations with both male and female friends making difficult storm plans. These exchanges reinforced my sense something very dramatic was about to change our lives forever, if we let the experience have it’s good work in us.
We did all we knew to do to secure our home and belongings, knowing all of it and all around us could be destroyed. The still small voice said, “Let go.” Some friends and family chose not to evacuate. The still small voice said, “Let go.” Many neighbors helped one another through physical assistance or words of loving encouragement but others looked only after themselves. The still small voice said, “Let go.” My tears came as I sang a song of praise to the one who controls the wind and storm. The still small voice said, “Let the tears flow.”
I continue to believe God is going to be merciful and deliver us from the worst of the storm as we cry out to him. “ At times I might shut up the heavens so that no rain falls, or I might command locusts to devour your crops, or I might send plagues among you. Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and heal their land.” (NLT: 2 Chronicles 7: 13 – 14)
These past months we’ve read and seen abundant media coverage of the violence in our nation. Yet, the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey gives example after example of people differing in creed, color and sex helping one another. Perhaps we are being purified with hard times, stripping away of material stuff and having to let go of preconceived notions. We all get to decide who and what to follow.
“God is light and there is no darkness in him at all. So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness. We are not living in the truth. But if we are living in the light of God’s presence, just as Christ is, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from every sin. (NLT: 1 John 1: 5 – 7)
I’m praying for God’s mercy and for him to purify me however needed to better love him and my fellow man. I believe I’m forgiven and receiving greater healing in my body, mind and spirit because of my sincere prayer and obedience to his direction. How about you?