~There, But By the Grace of God Go I~
As I woke this morning, I heard Third Day's new song, "Cry Out to Jesus", but the radio station had a version with audio clips from Katrina. Wow, if that doesn't wake you up with appreciation for everything in your life, I don't know what will.
I have to admit that I was critical and disappointed this time yesterday as I heard and watched a small handfull of survivors behave in a manner that is usually seen only in other countries. In many conversations, I had my comments that I threw out in judgement - but - then, this morning I humbly realized, there but by the grace of God go I.
It is only through God's grace that I have a home, my family, my education and a few dollars in my purse. I was born bent to sin, just as those small few were - and, at the foot of Jesus' cross - I look just like them - I am just as ugly and sinful as those few. And, it is only because of God's indescribable and beautiful grace I am sitting at this computer and not on a bus on my way out of the dome. Who am I to stand and say I would not act like that? Who am I to watch and shake my head in judgement? Who am I to sit in my dry, clean home and think that those people should know better?
While I hope and pray I would not hurt others through my pain if I were in the same situation, don't I, like they, know how to behave better. Don't we all know better than to behave and think the way we do? Isn't my dirty look at the woman who just cut me off just as sinful? Isn't my impatient answers to my children just as sinful? While my behavior may not be looting, rioting or raping - my behavior, just as theirs, nailed Jesus to the cross.
Probably every blogger will have a comment about Katrina and the aftershock. Some will be in criticism of leaders, some will be in criticism of the surviviors, some will be policitically driven, and, some will be words of comfort and prayers for the people who have suffered. But, what each of us have to remember is that we are not walking as they are - we can't say how dare they, when we can't know how feel they.
So, what can we do as we watch America be portrayed on TV as lawless and loveless? We can remember a few things - We must help:
1) Help with our prayers of redemption and healing, physically and emotionally. Those we see on TV are souls Jesus loves and died for - just as for as you and me. The power of fervent prayer can bring miracles that will draw many to Christ. We just never know what souls will be in heaven from this event.
2) Help with or pocketbooks - even if it is only $1.00. The estimated American population is 290, 809, 777. You do the math - that's a lot of money! Skip eating out for lunch and give to the red cross.
3) Help by realizing America has never had a disaster of this magnitude. Just as with September 11, our lives will never be the same. This is not a racial, economic class or political party issue. This is a path we have never been down - and a hard one that is going be filled with mistakes. Let's not turn on each other but towards each other.
4) Help by remembering that the media is loving the drama of the looting and 'newsworthy' behavior. I know there are stories of heros and miracles - where are they? The media is focusing on a small few that are acting out, instead of focusing on the many who are helping out. Find the stories of our true human hearts and share them - we can not forget there are only a few that are doing these acts, the large majority are just trying to survive. I found examples of Americans stepping up:
**MoveOn.org Civic Action, which set up HurricaneHousing.org on Thursday, said its Web site listed offers for 50,950 beds on Friday afternoon, and the number was climbing by more than 1,000 per hour.
**Red Cross support rescue and relief efforts.
291,020 Donors: $41,919,550 Raised (I saw this amount increase by over 1 million over 2 hours!)
**DuPont to Donate $1 Million to Help Communities Impacted by Hurricane Katrina
I have to admit that I was critical and disappointed this time yesterday as I heard and watched a small handfull of survivors behave in a manner that is usually seen only in other countries. In many conversations, I had my comments that I threw out in judgement - but - then, this morning I humbly realized, there but by the grace of God go I.
It is only through God's grace that I have a home, my family, my education and a few dollars in my purse. I was born bent to sin, just as those small few were - and, at the foot of Jesus' cross - I look just like them - I am just as ugly and sinful as those few. And, it is only because of God's indescribable and beautiful grace I am sitting at this computer and not on a bus on my way out of the dome. Who am I to stand and say I would not act like that? Who am I to watch and shake my head in judgement? Who am I to sit in my dry, clean home and think that those people should know better?
While I hope and pray I would not hurt others through my pain if I were in the same situation, don't I, like they, know how to behave better. Don't we all know better than to behave and think the way we do? Isn't my dirty look at the woman who just cut me off just as sinful? Isn't my impatient answers to my children just as sinful? While my behavior may not be looting, rioting or raping - my behavior, just as theirs, nailed Jesus to the cross.
Probably every blogger will have a comment about Katrina and the aftershock. Some will be in criticism of leaders, some will be in criticism of the surviviors, some will be policitically driven, and, some will be words of comfort and prayers for the people who have suffered. But, what each of us have to remember is that we are not walking as they are - we can't say how dare they, when we can't know how feel they.
So, what can we do as we watch America be portrayed on TV as lawless and loveless? We can remember a few things - We must help:
1) Help with our prayers of redemption and healing, physically and emotionally. Those we see on TV are souls Jesus loves and died for - just as for as you and me. The power of fervent prayer can bring miracles that will draw many to Christ. We just never know what souls will be in heaven from this event.
2) Help with or pocketbooks - even if it is only $1.00. The estimated American population is 290, 809, 777. You do the math - that's a lot of money! Skip eating out for lunch and give to the red cross.
3) Help by realizing America has never had a disaster of this magnitude. Just as with September 11, our lives will never be the same. This is not a racial, economic class or political party issue. This is a path we have never been down - and a hard one that is going be filled with mistakes. Let's not turn on each other but towards each other.
4) Help by remembering that the media is loving the drama of the looting and 'newsworthy' behavior. I know there are stories of heros and miracles - where are they? The media is focusing on a small few that are acting out, instead of focusing on the many who are helping out. Find the stories of our true human hearts and share them - we can not forget there are only a few that are doing these acts, the large majority are just trying to survive. I found examples of Americans stepping up:
**MoveOn.org Civic Action, which set up HurricaneHousing.org on Thursday, said its Web site listed offers for 50,950 beds on Friday afternoon, and the number was climbing by more than 1,000 per hour.
**Red Cross support rescue and relief efforts.
291,020 Donors: $41,919,550 Raised (I saw this amount increase by over 1 million over 2 hours!)
**DuPont to Donate $1 Million to Help Communities Impacted by Hurricane Katrina
5) And, mostly, help by humbly remembering...There but by the grace of God go Us!
posted by Tina at 10:51 PM
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