Nashville Flooding
Hello friends and family! I know I haven’t blogged in a while, and I’ll update you all on me soon. In the meantime, I wanted to update you all on Nashville. Currently, Nashville is under severe flood warnings. Five people have already died as a result of all the rain and flooding.
As my heart breaks for the families of those deaths, and for all the other individuals that are being negatively affected by the flood, I’m reminded how helpless we all truly are without Christ. I don’t know the individuals that have died. I don’t know a lot of people (yet) that have been devastatingly affected by the flood. I do know that their families need to feel love in this moment. I do know that these families need to feel compassion. I do know that all those who are losing things dear to them in this mess are needing mends to their broken hearts.
This brings me to the point of this post. As I’ve sat here reading Twitter and Facebook this morning, I see how so many churches and individuals are beginning to call their congregations to help in these situations. I have even done that for ENCC. However, we need every Christian at all times to be willing and ready to proclaim Christ and share His love and compassion to all they meet. NOT JUST IN TIMES OF CRISIS!
I’m reminded of Matthew 9:35-38. Read it here.
Missionaries live in a constant strive for caring for others, so those who are called by Christ to be in a complete, every day, kind of way see this is how we’re supposed to be (and they are) because they live in the middle of the thick day in day out. The rest of us are compliant, we don’t see the suffering, because there’s this plank in our eye and we can’t see past our nose. It takes devastation to get our heads out of our arses and see what’s going on around us. It’s not that we don’t care but we need to care more on a larger scale. Then again, maybe some of us are only called to help when things go south?
I saw pictures of all the damage and I am so sorry. We are praying for all who are effected by this storm. We are praying for your safety and for the community at large.
I think maybe its because most Christians seem to be stuck in neutral. The whole, ‘be still and know that I am God’ I think is a point of great misinterpretation in our modern world. Dont get me wrong, Patsy and me have talked about this because I wanted some clarity. She feels the same way you and I feel. But Ive actually had arguments with people in churches about trying to do more for God — I was on fire for God and wanted to write some plays and some songs to glorify God and I felt good about the effort and the work I was devoting to it so I mentioned it at a study I was in and they literally said that we need to just go to church and help in other services already established and not start new ones because we are called to follow. I would have understood if they had read any of my plays or songs if they just didnt like my work but I had not shared any so why were they already trying to shut me down? So- when they said that we should look around and find some activity already in motion and join in…I replied, ‘well all the people who started the missions that you want to follow…why did they start them instead of just following someone else?’ They actually argued with me that we are not supposed to start anything new for God!!! That because we are called to follow, we should not try to go out and begin anything new! Preacher Matthew; I know you completely understand why that floored me! My point is this; in times of crisis we somehow think that God gives us permission to act….why do people think we are supposed to be still at all other times and just know that God is God? Sure Ive read the Bible but God never said, stand around and be statues. God said praise Him, love eachother and spread the Gospel. I think the command to be still and know that God is God is a thing for us to do when we are scared or overwhelmed and we dont know what to do! A command to take solace in having a God who cares and who is moving in our lives!! Like Patsy and you, Preacher Matthew, I think we should act for God all the time, but I honestly have heard others who are very active in the church say to ‘be still all the time’ and they really think that means to be praying statues except in times of crisis! Maybe the reason God allows crisis is because maybe its the only way He can get some of us to break out of the statue mode.
I am definitely reminded of what happened in ATL, and the amount of flooding and damage that happened. I am reminded of Haiti and how it was already the poorest nation without any earthquake. It seems that we do not put things on our radar until it is shoved in our face and we cannot ignore it.
Matthew, I have had you and Alyson on my mind and in my heart for weeks. Sometimes we as Christians just have to be reminded that we are not invincible and that we could loose everything in a blink of an eye… When this happens, we want to take care of others. What gets me is that we send so much help to 3rd world countries when we have poverty, homelessness, health issues right here in the USA. Be praying for you, your neighbors and community… Love ya!
Such a great point. Your mom asked for prayers for you and Nashville and I am doing that. Your question caused me to ponder … maybe times we seek to spread the good news by spreading our views instead Jesus’ love. Maybe if I look for those needing love today instead of those who need my view of Christ and faith today the world will be a better place.I won’t have to wait for a crisis to show His love.
Matt,
You are so right, we all get so comfortable in what we think is “our lives” and forget that without God we are nothing. I have been praying for you and Alyson and all the people affected. I love you both and just know my family is here for you and your family and will continue to pray. God has to bring us to our knees sometimes, and I believe this is what he did this time. We are not in control ‘HE IS’! I GIVE HIM ALL THE GLORY AND PRAISE!