1. We can feel their pain
Jesus wept: John 11:33-36
When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. "Where have you laid him?" he asked.
"Come and see, Lord," they replied.
Jesus wept.
Then the Jews said, "See how he loved him!"
As Job’s friends comforted him by just being with him, sometimes it is good to just listen and share someone’s pain with them. Take the time to feel the pain of others. This will help make our prayers and actions more passionate, and like the early Christians we will be more motivated to initiate ways to give of our means.
Romans 12:15
Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.
2. We can pray
All too often we underestimate the incredible power of prayer. As our brother in Port au Prince stated, “Pray first. We need water, food and medicine, but prayer first.”
We can pray. Our children and grandchildren can pray. Prayer is no “little thing” we can do. It is truly a way (from our own homes) to give direct help to those in need far away.
Romans 8:26
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.
We can pray for their comfort, for their strength, for daily bread, for the disciples’ ability to share Jesus, for all to see God, for orphans to find families, for healing, etc. We can pray for Mark Ottenweller and Stanley Dumornay as they have arrived in Port au Prince to help the disciples and those with them. Pray for their safety and wisdom and for the supplies to be long lasting. We can look for lists on Disciples Today of people’s names and take them to God ....
Like electricity, our prayers can bring light and connectivity to where we direct it. If it’s disconnected it does no good.
3. We can surrender
We may never understand why some things happen the way they do. Often, when situations are too difficult for me to understand I sing the words to one of the first songs I ever learned. “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so. Little ones to him belong; they are weak but He is strong. Yes, Jesus loves me….” This has a simple yet profound message: Jesus loves me. I am weak. He is strong.
There are so many truths from God’s work I hold to when life is hard to understand. Several are:
- Good and evil both exist. Yet I know the cross and the resurrection; I checked the end of the Bible in Revelations and I know who won!
- I am part of a kingdom that can not be shaken, even with a 7.0 earthquake.
- The rain falls on the just and the unjust.
- What I “deserve” is death and punishment; yet God has given me salvation and eternal life. This is a precious gift. I want to live each day as the gift from God that it is.
- God desires that all be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth.
- God is God and I am not; He is trustworthy. He is love. He loves me and all others more than is humanly possible to comprehend.
- God’s promises are always true.
4. We can gain perspective
When tragedy strikes, we are reminded that life is indeed a vapor. Often death and tragedy can give needed perspective to mature and strengthen us such as:
In all our “strength” we really came from dust and were formed by our loving God who breathed life into our souls. We were made from dust, and will return to dust. Yet, God has stooped down to make us great. He has set eternity in our hearts. He has given us the gift of eternal life.
Throughout all the busyness and cares of life we need to remember each day that we are citizens of heaven just passing through this life. The worst that can happen for a disciple is that we die and go to heaven. Death is merely a passage to eternity, a life with God.
My fourth grandchild is due in March. Imagine if he were to think that life in the womb was all there was. He may be comfortable inside the womb, but in there he knows nothing of his parents’ love and eagerness to lavish their love on him. He doesn’t even know pizza and ice cream while in there, much less the beauty of God’s creation. What a wonder is in store for him.
In the same way, we have no idea what God has prepared for us other than it is beyond our wildest dreams. My grandchildren often talk of how they long to be in heaven to be with Jesus. Though sometimes that is disconcerting to us as we remind God that we would like lots of time with them here on earth, it is a convicting reminder to me of the childlike faith I need to have to see heaven as my true home.
Matthew 6:19-20
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal."
Let’s live for what is really important. Gain perspective from this tragedy. At 4 pm last Tuesday life was “normal” for
5. We can speak
Our words can be a comfort to others. Our words can bring salvation to others.
We can speak words of comfort.
2 Cor. 1:3-5
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.
We can speak for those who can’t speak for themselves
Proverbs 31:8-9
"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy."
We can speak up for these who can’t speak for themselves by contributing money; by volunteering to help; by practicing hospitality and even by adopting if we are able.
(Please see hopeww.org for an excellent giving opportunity)
We can teach our children and our children’s children through this difficult situation. We can teach them to pray for those who are hurting, to share their belongings with others, and to trust God even when things hurt. We can have them set aside toys and clothes to give in the future when the infrastructure allows. We can teach them to do this regularly for those around us.
We can speak up to share the good news of Jesus. A city is as open as our mouths.
Romans 10:14
How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?
And may God be with us all.
Jeanie Shaw – Editor, Women Today
(Tomorrow we will post a family devotional concerning this tragedy)
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