Weekly Devotions - Sowing Seeds of Faith

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“Katrina & Knock-Downs"

Two sportscasters were debating over who was the best running back in professional football. One suggested Walter Payton, the great Chicago Bear: "What a runner! Do you realize that all together, Walter Payton gained over nine miles rushing in his career?"

The second sportscaster thought a moment and replied: "And to think that every 4.6 yards of the way, someone was knocking him down."

Like it or not, that's life: A long journey with something knocking you down every few yards. This is not only true for us as individuals but knock downs often affect whole communities. For proof you only need to check the latest news on the enduring tragedy left by hurricane Katrina.

Katrina ripped through southern Mississippi and Louisiana with a fury like no other storm in history. At first, we were deceived. We saw the idiotic weather forecasters hunched over in the wind and rain holding their microphones and hats. We saw examples of the wind damage but once the storm blew through, my first thought was: “maybe it wasn’t too bad.” But I was wrong. Katrina was a knock down!

Most of us didn't immediately notice the storm surge. The twenty plus foot wall of water that submerged cities and towns throughout the coastal area. We didn't know about the gaps in the protective levy encircling New Orleans: a city already eight feet under sea level. I traveled around the world to Sri Lanka to see damage caused by a Tsunami. The carnage of Katrina looked eerily similar.

For days, an anxious world watched the plight of thousands trapped in the New Orleans Astrodome and wondered: “When would help finally arrive? Where was our crisis response team? Where was our leadership?” We cringed when we heard gruesome stories about people fighting for survival but deep down we wondered what our own response would be to the horror they were forced to endure.

Yet, for every horrible story, there were many more acts of compassion and heroism:

The dramatic helicopter rescue of thousands stranded on rooftops.

A series of prayer meetings and open acts of faith and sharing in the coliseum.

Neighbors who banded together to help each other and those in need.

A nurse tearfully admitting losing everything while at the hospital helping others.

Around the country ordinary people responded with generosity and compassion. Our church set up a display outside of a department store and within four days received enough supplies to completely fill up a large tractor trailer. Literally thousands of people brought supplies and donations. Many were going to multiple locations looking for any opportunity to contribute to the relief effort.

One mother commented: “We were at church when someone asked for help receiving relief supplies. The kids were so excited and ready to go. Several people stopped to thank us as they had family in the Katrina ravaged area. But then, one family pulled up and asked if we were collecting for the survivors of the hurricane. They were newly arrived from New Orleans. They saw what we were doing and wanted to thank us. Well the goose bumps were rising at this point and I was holding back the tears as one man said, “we will go back in a year and we will rebuild.” Roberta

Life is a journey that includes knock downs every few yards along the way but even in the midst of tragedy we are all given opportunities to respond. How we respond often defines our faith:

A Biblical sufferer named Paul wrote: “I think you ought to know about the trouble we went through… We were crushed and completely overwhelmed and thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we learned not to rely on ourselves, but on God who can raise the dead. And he did deliver us from mortal danger. And we are confident that he will continue to deliver us. He will rescue us because you are helping by praying for us. As a result, many will give thanks to God because so many people's prayers for our safety have been answered.” (2 Corinthians 1:8-11)

I found several helpful lessons on how to respond to the knock downs of life:

Overwhelming, crushing trouble could happen to anyone.
As a result we learn to rely not just on ourselves but on God.
God will deliver us and continue to deliver us.
You, your help and your prayers are an important part of God’s response.
We give thanks to God because so many prayers have been answered.

On Sunday, many faith communities around the world responded with worship and prayer. Many will also respond with supplies and work crews. This week, we will deliver our truckload of supplies to Mississippi, visit the storm-ravaged area and seek further opportunities to respond as a church and as a community in order to help one area of Mississippi recover from a nasty knock down labeled Katrina.

Read Part 2: Mission Mississippi: Building Hope by Clicking Here.

Sowing Seeds Ministry Website set up a way for you to donate to Katrina relief. The money will be transferred to Timberlake United Methodist Church to be used for supplies. Over the next few months there will be a need for medical and building supplies as our church will send physicians and nurses as well as construction crews. No money will be used for overhead, only for supplies going directly to the area. Just click here for the contribution page.

Do you want to join us in prayer for others? Do you need prayer? Click Here.

Last modified August 8, 2005.

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