On August 29, 2005 Hurricane Katrina made the anticipated landfall on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi. Today marks the anniversary of that tragic day. One year ago today life changed for every person on the Gulf Coast- beach drives would be forever different, family estates would vanish in her waters and family members would cross the threshold into eternity. The winds of Katrina blew farther than the coast. They changed cities like Arden, South Carolina; Brookhaven, Mississippi and Memphis, Tennessee. They also changed people. The meteorologists called her a Category 5, but there were no categories for the impact which she made. Oceanographers measured storm surge. Officials measured 100 year flood maps, but no one could have anticipated the real impact. Governor Haley Barber reported that 45 million cubic yards of debris have been removed from the Gulf Coast. The closest amount of debris removal from a natural disaster was Hurricane Andrew in Florida with only 23 million cubic yards. Only about half as much. Government reports measure cubic yards of debris, but remember included in that debris were wedding pictures, letters from friends and millions of memories that now exist only behind the tear-filled stories of their owners. Katrina was a strange storm. She drove many away from their homes and many to homes they never expected. She destroyed churches and planted others. She destroyed hope and tilled the soil of a greater hope. She took family members away and began to knit others together as 'family' they had never met. It is important that we remember both sides of Katrina today- the Katrina who took and the Katrina who gave. If we remember only the Katrina who took, then we have only despair and hopelessness today. If we focus only on what she gave, we will miss the heavy, dark backdrop on which the present picture is being painted. Friend, there are many who need your prayers today. Municipalities will have 'moments of silence' in remembrance, but we would ask for more than silence. There has been too much silence since Katrina. There are playgrounds which are quiet, living rooms loud with empty echoes and families missing the laughter of loved ones. Consider more than a moment of silence today. Take a moment to speak. Speak to Katrina's creator. Ask the God who 'stirs up the tempest' and 'quiets the waters'* to continue His work. There is a God in heaven that has purposes greater than what we can see. He was at work last August 29th and IS at work today. Take a moment, even right now, to pray. Ask Katrina's creator to continue His work- on the coast, in us and in His people whom we have yet to meet. There is still an immense need on the coast. Pray that God will raise up men and women to labor with us!I would be negligent if I didn't thank those who have already been the hands and feet of Christ in this community and part of Lagniappe. There are so many who have given so much. I fear if I started 'thanking' there wouldn't be enough time to read all the names. That having been said let me say this: we inherited a great phrase from the Reformation- Soli Deo Gloria- "to God alone be the glory!" May the names of all of us perish and may the coast remember only Jesus and the storm of mercy and love that He stirred long after Katrina had gone.
*Reference, Psalm 107:23-31
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
A year ago...August 29, 2005
On August 29, 2005 Hurricane Katrina made the anticipated landfall on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi. Today marks the anniversary of that tragic day. One year ago today life changed for every person on the Gulf Coast- beach drives would be forever different, family estates would vanish in her waters and family members would cross the threshold into eternity. The winds of Katrina blew farther than the coast. They changed cities like Arden, South Carolina; Brookhaven, Mississippi and Memphis, Tennessee. They also changed people. The meteorologists called her a Category 5, but there were no categories for the impact which she made. Oceanographers measured storm surge. Officials measured 100 year flood maps, but no one could have anticipated the real impact. Governor Haley Barber reported that 45 million cubic yards of debris have been removed from the Gulf Coast. The closest amount of debris removal from a natural disaster was Hurricane Andrew in Florida with only 23 million cubic yards. Only about half as much. Government reports measure cubic yards of debris, but remember included in that debris were wedding pictures, letters from friends and millions of memories that now exist only behind the tear-filled stories of their owners. Katrina was a strange storm. She drove many away from their homes and many to homes they never expected. She destroyed churches and planted others. She destroyed hope and tilled the soil of a greater hope. She took family members away and began to knit others together as 'family' they had never met. It is important that we remember both sides of Katrina today- the Katrina who took and the Katrina who gave. If we remember only the Katrina who took, then we have only despair and hopelessness today. If we focus only on what she gave, we will miss the heavy, dark backdrop on which the present picture is being painted. Friend, there are many who need your prayers today. Municipalities will have 'moments of silence' in remembrance, but we would ask for more than silence. There has been too much silence since Katrina. There are playgrounds which are quiet, living rooms loud with empty echoes and families missing the laughter of loved ones. Consider more than a moment of silence today. Take a moment to speak. Speak to Katrina's creator. Ask the God who 'stirs up the tempest' and 'quiets the waters'* to continue His work. There is a God in heaven that has purposes greater than what we can see. He was at work last August 29th and IS at work today. Take a moment, even right now, to pray. Ask Katrina's creator to continue His work- on the coast, in us and in His people whom we have yet to meet. There is still an immense need on the coast. Pray that God will raise up men and women to labor with us!I would be negligent if I didn't thank those who have already been the hands and feet of Christ in this community and part of Lagniappe. There are so many who have given so much. I fear if I started 'thanking' there wouldn't be enough time to read all the names. That having been said let me say this: we inherited a great phrase from the Reformation- Soli Deo Gloria- "to God alone be the glory!" May the names of all of us perish and may the coast remember only Jesus and the storm of mercy and love that He stirred long after Katrina had gone.
*Reference, Psalm 107:23-31
No comments:
Post a Comment