Rejoice? Really!

Storm damage in Centervale Park (Photo credit: WBUR)

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)

¹⁶ Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray continually, ¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances;  for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Sitting on the couch Friday evening, knitting needles moving swiftly I listened to the wind fiercely and loudly shrieking and howling.  With each stitch I prayed seeking God’s continuous protection and care.  The warnings on the television screen were persistent, the storm was swift and had traveled a long distance in a short period of time, wreaking havoc along its path.  Touching down here in Richmond where days earlier destruction and damage previously paid an unwelcome visits.

Rejoice, how can we?  Lives were lost, millions of people are still without power and the relentless heat is promising to again pay scorching homage to this day.  I rejoice in knowing that as bad as it was it could have been so much worse.   I rejoice as I witnessed stories of neighbors helping neighbors.  The picture of an extension cord snaking its way from the generator of one house down the driveway, across the street and up the stairs to power the refrigerator of a neighbor with children.

Through fires and storms God’s presence is witnessed and felt by the hands outstretched to help.

Making His praise glorious!

Ree

Related articles

• Mark of a True Christian – Rejoice and Weep (annasonelife.wordpress.com)
• Making the Most of the Moment Part 2 (justbecausehelives.org)
• Power Outages From Storms Across Mid-Atlantic Could Last For Days (huffingtonpost.com)
• A ‘Land Hurricane’ Strikes States From Midwest To East; New Storms Predicted (wnyc.org)