EARTHLY POSSESSIONS BECOMES DEBRIS

 

My heart goes out to the residents of Moore, Oklahoma who endured a deadly F4 possibly F5 tornado this past Monday, May 20. In 40 minutes it came and went leaving dead, injured, smashed cars, houses that were splinters, washing machines, pets wandering around anrd wreaked havoc seemingly in the entire town. Even the hospital took a direct hit. Indeed it is a sad and shocking time for the residents of this Oklahoma City suburb. Oklahoma is in tornado alley and it accustomed to hearing that siren go off but this does not make it any easier.

I can assure you that these devastated people in Moore are not worried about their smashed cars, destroyed furniture, missing jewelry at a time like this but more than likely those who made it out unscathed are thankful to be alive. Psalm 4:5(NIV) reminds us to 'Put your trust in the Lord.'

First Responders to this catastrophic event need our prayers. No one can explain why storms of this magnitude rush and roar into a community taking lives as they sweep at 200 miles an hour through town.

The one thing that struck me during news and weather reports about this tragedy was they keep saying as the funnel touched down "Look at that debris field". Sofas, baby gifts, pictures, curtains, dishes, clothes, shingles, windows and all else is now called debris. All that labor spent to acquire possessions, lock them up, buy insurance to protect them, is turned unto a "debris field".

Psalm 20:7( NIV) says 'Some trust in chariots, some in horses, but we will remember the name of the Lord our God.' Proverbs 11:28(NIV) says 'He who trusts in riches will fall but the righteous will flourish like foliage.'

Right now the people of Moore need our prayers. This tragedy involved the death of children which is always hard. The natural response is to rush in with donations of clothes and food. Right now they are assessing the direction to proceed in emergency response efforts. I for one wish I could go down and help pick up and maybe even be a caseworker for the Red Cross. I remember when the tornado outbreak of April 27, 2011 hit our area and I was fortunate enough to get to help with cleanup, I saw a house spray painted that said, "Don't just look, HELP!"

James 4:13-15((NASB) says 'Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.” Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.”

We do not know what our life will be like tomorrow, or the next day, or the next. Bad things happen in life but people always seem to emerge stronger. Right now simply pray for recovery workers as they sift through rubble. Pray for those formulating relief efforts. Pray for clean up teams and safety for those on the site as there is broken glass and things that can injure people and their rescue dogs. Mainly pray for strength for these folks there in Oklahoma.

PRAYER: Lord God my heart goes out to the people of Moore, Oklahoma. Tragedies come and go and no one is exempt from them. Lord Jesus may good come out of this tragedy somehow. Comfort those who have lost family and friends in this storm. Be with those in the community of churches there who will no doubt be helping in a big way to lift spirits and give comfort. Protect the town from looters and those who would try to profit from tragedy. Help people not think of just themselves but reach out to help. Give strength to medical teams and police and firefighters who are seeing this devastation first hand. Give them strength. In Jesus' name. Amen.

How can I help?

Text STORM to 80888 to make a $10 donation to the Salvation Army or call 1-800-SALARMY or mail check to Salvation Army Disaster Relief and designate your check to Moore, OK tornado and mail to P.O. Box 12600, Oklahoma City, OK 73157.

www.salvationarmy.org

Also go to www.samaritanspurse.org for a link on how to help.

At a time like this everyone seems to want to do something.

Also www.redcross.org for ways to help and possibly be trained for future help.