Blessed Be the Name

In 2nd Corinthians 4, there is a great reminder for us to trust God, even when things do not go the way we think they should.  We can be challenged to love God and serve other people, even when we are facing personal adversity:
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.
8 We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 
9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed-- 
10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.

This is where we live so often, isn't it?  The pressing weight of our daily concerns, the troubles that we endure, the confusion that we encounter.  But, through it all, we can know there is Someone who walks with us, to whom we can turn in any situation.  And, one of the powerful perspectives that we can adopt as we journey through this life is to serve while we suffer...there is a tendency to get so caught up in our own needs that we miss what is going on around us, when God wants us to focus squarely on Him and then to love others through Him.  This shifts our focus from the weight of our own burdens to be able to help release others from theirs.

Upon receiving the news about great loss of family and possessions, Job's response was to fall before the Lord and worship.  Here's a passage from the first chapter of Job:
20Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped.21And he said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, And naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord."

Yesterday marked the third day of storms a significant section of the country.  Much of the Faith Radio broadcast area was spared a second wave of tornadoes and severe storms yesterday.  We still remember those who suffered devastation and perhaps the loss of friends and family members in the recent storms.   Our thoughts also go to the Gulf Coast, where enormous amounts of rainfall have caused some concern there.

And, we can be inspired by the heroic stories of those who were helping others in the midst of the storm - there are two cases, two men lost their lives in the process of trying to save others.  I mentioned yesterday on the air the story of 21-year-old John Servati, a University of Alabama swimmer who lost his life as he tried to protect his girlfriend as an apartment wall collapsed in Tuscaloosa during a storm on Monday.

His high school swim coach, Lucas Smith, told AL.com that John said, regarding his plans to go to Lake Tahoe in June for a 10-week Christian-outreach program, "He was about as happy going to do that, getting accepted to go to camp as he was to sign his scholarship to go to Alabama -- if not more..."

Smith said, "He wanted to help. He thrived off helping others...As you can see in the same way in which he died. He lost his life by saving somebody else's."

AL.com also quoted Alabama assistant swim coach James Barber described John Servati as "a hero really every day...He was always quick to say, 'Oh yeah I'll help you move this' or 'I can help with that' to any teammate. He was just that kind of guy."

A hero - who, in death was doing what he did in his life - serving others.

That's the story of Rob Tittle, as well.   He was a staff member for FamilyLife, and yesterday's FamilyLife Today radio program was devoted to the story of Rob and the Tittle family.   He lost his life, as Dennis Rainey put it, "...doing what a man does—putting his family first and trying to get two of his daughters to safety—when the twister hit."

As related in a piece called "The Lord Gives, the Lord Takes Away," from the FamilyLife website, Rob, as well as two of his daughters, perished in the storm as they were shepherding their nine children under a stairwell when the tornado disintegrated their home in Arkansas.

All that is left is a grim grey slab of concrete.

The Tittles' 19-year-old daughter posted this on Facebook from a friend's house: “... my mom, and my six brothers/sisters are alright. We have lost three of our family … Dad, Tori and Rebekah, prayers would be appreciated. The house is gone stripped from the foundation. The Lord Gives and the Lord Takes away, Blessed be the Name of the Lord.”

She also posted, “Dear friends, Do one thing for me. Hug your dad. Hold him tight and don’t let go, that man is the greatest gift God gave to you. Tell him you love him, tell him you will always Love him.”

Another FamilyLife couple, Dan and Kristin, lost their home, as well.   Dennis relates that Dan saw the twister coming across the river and hurriedly moved his wife, six children, two dogs, a bunny rabbit, and a lizard into the master bedroom closet, which was designed as a storm shelter.

He closed the door. And as the seconds ticked by, Dan said to his children, “This is the day of salvation! If you haven’t accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, NOW IS THE TIME TO DO IT!”

A moment later, the tornado tore into their home, sucking the vent plate out of the top of the shelter. Dan said, “The pressure in that shelter was 10 times that of any airplane ride I’ve ever taken!”   They survived, but their home was destroyed.    Dan, facing the urgency of possible death, had the presence of mind to try to make sure that his children were saved - spiritually and physically.

After they left the rubble of what was once their home and were riding in a van, one of the children said, “This is the worst day of my life!” To which their 10-year-old daughter, who has prosthetic legs, replied, “That may be, but we need to talk about the good things!” The rest of the ride was spent celebrating the “good things.”

I think that these stories can teach us some valuable lessons as we continue to remember the heroes and their families.  John Servati and Rob Tittle lost their lives, but they were acting in the face of death in a manner consistent with the way they lived.   They will both be remembered for their Christian service.  We can make it a goal of ours to develop a servant's heart - to the extent that putting others first in times of tragedy is not inconsistent with the way we normally operate.   Dan survived, and his bravery is also inspiring, as he was intent on leading his family to safety while certifying that his children knew Jesus.

We can also think about the legacy we desire to leave.  When we're gone - and we know we are not promised tomorrow - we would want to be remembered for how we have served: As spouses, how we have loved our mates.  As parents, how we have led our children.  As friends, how we have demonstrated that friendship.  And, more than anything else, how we have loved our Lord, which drives everything else.

And, finally, we are encouraged by the attitude of Job - he had essentially lost it all, but in the face of terrible tragedy and loss, he declared, "Blessed be the name of the Lord."   That is not denial or glossing over the facts at hand, but recognizing God's presence with us in the adversity we encounter.