Psalm 137:1-4 (King James Version)
1By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.
2We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof.
3For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion.
4How shall we sing the LORD's song in a strange land?
Ephesians 5:18b-19 (New King James Version)
but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,
Scriptures:
Isaiah 55:6-11 (New King James Version)
6 Seek the LORD while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near. 7 Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the LORD, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon. 8 “ For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD. 9 “ For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts. 10 “ For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater, 11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.
Ezekiel 18:23, 30-32; 33:10-11 (New King James Version)
23 Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?” says the Lord GOD, “and not that he should turn from his ways and live?
30 “Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways,” says the Lord GOD. “Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin. 31 Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel? 32 For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,” says the Lord GOD. “Therefore turn and live!”
10 “Therefore you, O son of man, say to the house of Israel: ‘Thus you say, “If our transgressions and our sins lie upon us, and we pine away in them, how can we then live?”’ 11 Say to them: ‘As I live,’ says the Lord GOD, ‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?’
2 Peter 3:9 (New King James Version)
The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
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“Why, God? Why?”
The young boy’s screams ripped at my heart as I watched him grasp the reporter’s hand and look up to him with tearful, frightened eyes as if for an answer. Sitting outside on the ground, reportedly with broken limbs and a visible gash on his forehead, this child was crying out to God for a reason – something to understand the devastation in which he found himself following the earthquake in Haiti.
I thought of the book of Job, which I had just finished reading, and prayed that the Lord would reveal Himself to this boy and all others in Haiti as He had done to Job. Not only to the Haitians, but also to all others who were, are or will be there providing rescue and recovery, medical, communication, peacekeeping, protection and other needed services. And not to them only, but to all of us who hear and see of this tragic event. And also to anyone going through a difficult time, asking, begging God, “Why?”
I looked up to see that the newscast was now showing snippets of what they described as a “spontaneous worship service” which they said had broken out on the side of the road. People were singing and clapping, arms raised in praise as they danced.
On another television station, the reporter leaned over a woman who was lying on a stretcher as he spoke of the conditions for those needing medical care. Outside, because the hospital buildings were demolished or unstable. In the heat, with little food or water, and very limited medical supplies or personnel. As he painted this dire picture, the woman reached up and laced her fingers with his as she held his hand. I thought she was reaching out for comfort. He turned away from the camera to look at her as she spoke. He turned slightly to someone who translated her words, and then he conveyed these to his audience: “'It could be worse,' she says. ‘It could be worse.’”
Wow - what strength. How wrong I was in thinking that she was wanting comfort for herself, when her intention was to share hope with others! I think of this when I hear media reports of people giving their opinions as to why this happened, criticizing or condemning others for what they think could have or should have been done to prepare for it, or how it plays politically, or any number of other things. I think back to Jesus’ words when someone asked Him about a situation in Luke 13:
Luke 13:1-5 (New King James Version)
Repent or Perish
1 There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? 3 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. 4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”
So I find that for me, again, it’s a reason to examine myself, and draw closer to God for myself in praying as He leads, giving as He provides, doing as He directs…
Ephesians 5:20 (New King James Version)
giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
... and my journey with Him continues ...
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