Whose Wrath?

A good word for this day can be found in Isaiah 43, as the Lord says to His people:
(1) "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine.
2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you.

Here are four types of disaster, which can be representative of the difficulties we encounter in our own human experience.  When the waters are elevated, we can know who goes with us, just as Jesus, in the boat with His disciples, spoke to the winds and rain and said, "Peace, be still."  When we feel like we are about to be submerged in life, we can stand strong in the Lord.  The fire and its effects can either destroy us or refine us - as we stay true to God and His Word, we can avoid the utter destruction of the enemy because we know that He is with us.

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There is a passage of Scripture at the beginning of Psalm 46 that can teach and inspire us on this
memorable day of weather across our area:
(1) God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
(3) Though its waters roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with its swelling.

This is a catastrophic day for residents of Florida and surrounding areas, and a memorable day of weather in the Faith Radio broadcast area.  It's also a day on which we observe another American catastrophe that occurred 16 years ago today, on 9-11.  Those numbers may carry extra meaning for residents of Florida, who bore the brunt of Hurricane Irma's fury over the weekend; many facing difficulties today.

High winds (even though Irma has weakened considerably).  Storm surge.  Almost 7 million without power, according to the Tallahassee Democrat.  It reports:

More than 17,000 utilities workers from 30 states and Canada are stationed at more than 20 staging sites across the state ready to restore power.

The workers, employed by other utilities companies throughout the U.S., can begin restoration work once winds drop to 35 mph and floodwaters recede.

Some have been working during the storm to restore power. By Sunday, the company restored power to 400,000 customers during the storm.

And, after making landfall as a powerful Category 4 storm in the Florida Keys early Sunday, Irma made a second landfall as a Category 3 hurricane near Naples, Florida at Marco Island, according to AccuWeather, which states: "Much of southwestern Florida has been buffeted by wind gusts of 100 to 140 mph, which have knocked down power lines and trees and caused significant to catastrophic damage to roofs and structures," adding, "Power could be out for weeks in some communities."

The impending storm caused some to comment on its significance.  Christian actor Kirk Cameron posted a video that he recorded in the Orlando airport while preparing to return home from Florida. ChristianHeadlines.com published an article that stated:

The Huffington Post reports on the video Cameron posted in which he asks: “How should we look at two giant hurricanes coming back to back like this? Do we write them off as coincidence? Do we write it off as a statistical anomaly? Wow! Who would’ve thought? Is it just Mother Nature in a bad mood?”

Cameron went on to answer these questions by reading a passage from the book of Job and then went on to say, “When he [God] puts his power on display, it’s never without reason. There’s a purpose. And we may not always understand what that purpose is, but we know it’s not random and we know that weather is sent to cause us to respond to God in humility, awe and repentance.”

(Link to Huffington Post story.)

So, there is a Biblical response to what we see occurring.  Then there is the non-Biblical, bordering on the whimsical and the surreal: Actor Jennifer Lawrence also made reference to Mother Nature's fury, according to FoxNews.com. The story opens by saying:

Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Lawrence suggested the devastating hurricanes in Texas and approaching Florida were signs of “Mother Nature’s rage and wrath” at America for electing Donald Trump and not believing in man-made climate change.

She went on British television to promote her latest film and took aim at her country for electing Trump.  The story continues:

“It’s scary,” the actress responded to the interviewer’s assertion that there was “an end-of-days feeling” across the world and especially in the U.S.

So, Lawrence is blaming the President for powerful storms that have created enormous loss of property, loss of life, and a great deal of human suffering?  That is attributing way too much power to a politician.

But, I do believe that God speaks to us in suffering. The Stream reports on a Facebook video by its founder, James Robison:

James urges viewers to pray for our leaders to seek the wisdom of God and come together as a family, particularly now, as we face uncertainty from storms, political conflict and the threat of war. “He is more than ready to help us, if we will hear and heed His counsel.”

Anne Graham Lotz offers these thoughts, in a general sense, about warning signs that the potential for calamity may contain.  This is from the Hello Christian website:

Our nation is in a mess. Why? Could it be because America is losing God’s blessing? And His favor? Could our sin be provoking His judgment? Judgment that is not necessarily in the form of a nuclear dirty bomb, or in another ISIS attack, or in an economic collapse.

She provides the antidote:

So… if we are coming under the judgment of God – if He is giving us over to ourselves, removing His blessing, protection, and favor – the solution will not be found in politics or in the economy or in the military or in technology. The only solution will be found on our knees as we humble ourselves, pray, seek God’s face, and repent of our sin. And then plead for Him to return to us, as we return to Him.

So, some takeaways on this day of miserable weather for the Faith Radio broadcast area:

God will use the storms to teach us about Himself.  This has been true throughout history.  Signs on earth - from 9-11 to Harvey and Irma - can help to point us to look to heaven.  We can be careful to heed the warning signs that the Lord is giving us through catastrophic events, as well as the storms we encounter personally.

God speaks in the storm.  There is a way out.  Cameron, Robison, and Lotz all relate the same theme - where there is adversity, there is the opportunity to come before the Lord in humility and repentance.

God walks with us through the storm.  Finally, we can look to God, described by the Psalmist as our "refuge and strength," and "ever-present help" in our times of trouble.  When there is hardship, there is opportunity to trust in Him.  It may be natural, in the form of people to walk along with us; it may be supernatural, as God manifests His loving hand.  We can be challenged to call on Him in the midst of the storm and know His comfort and peace.