Katrina Update 4 - What I read today

While we've been away, I've tried to maintain my habit of getting up early...in this case, earlier than everyone else. The Lord has been very faithful as I don't have an alarm clock in my room. Thankfully, I can still manage that and also sleep "late" (for me)...which means instead of getting up at 4-4:30am, I am getting up around 6:30-7am. So that is nice.

Unlike my normal mornings, things start with turning on the news. Ordinarily I could care less about current events...sad, but true...and my TV is rarely on. In fact, the last time I watched the news was during the last hurricane scare.

Each day...sometimes, each hour...the news just gets worse. Levees are breaking and weakening, pumps threatening to go out and the tide still hasn't gone down. Even when it does go down, only so much water will go with it, the rest will have to be pumped out. If the pumps fail, they will need to be repaired first. It could be a week or two before we can even go home to see what the damage is. We will be displaced for months.

As I said in yesterday's post...it all sorta hit me yesterday as I was finally able to get in touch with friends. But as I also said, the Lord has been very faithful and very near and for that I am so greatful.

I can see both His prior work of preparation and His current hand of provision. I can also see some of what He is trying to teach me right now. Namely, He (not the company I work for or my parents or anyone else) is my provision...He (not friends or family) is my comfort...He (not my church or teachers I respect) is my teacher...He (again, not friends or family) is my rock, what plants my feet on solid ground, the cleft of the rock I am to run to in the midst of the storm. Also, what I do, say, think, feel, express...how I respond to people and circumstances can either commend Him or dishonor His name to those I am with. And I have had many opportunities to be reminded of and practice that. Even in the emotional day yesterday, I tried to be courteous and remember that I was being watched.

So with all of that swirling in my head, I went to my time with the Lord. This is what I read:

He loads the thick cloud with moisture; the clouds scatter his lightning. They turn around and around by his guidance, to accomplish all that he commands them on the face of the habitable world. Whether for correction or for his land or for love, he causes it to happen. (Job 37:11-13)

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. (2 Cor 4:16-18)

I can't add anything to that...and am jus thankful again for how consistent He has been to remind me of His truth.