The last person

I've been spending time recently watching the news coverage of the aftermath of Katrina. It's almost addictive.....kind of like after 9/11. You just can't seem to stop watching. The other day I was watching as the coast guard was rescuing people off of roof tops. Their houses were completely submerged under water and the only thing left was the roof, and some of houses the water actually passed the roof line. I was watching, fascinated as the pilot maneuvered the helicopter, watched them lower the basket, put a person in, then lifted them up into the helicopter. I watched as one at a time people were loaded and lifted. As I watched, I started thinking.

My first thoughts were "great, these people are safe now." Then my thoughts wondered to "I wonder where they are going to take them?" Suddenly, reality really struck me hard. I watched as another person was loaded into the basket, and took a close look at the person. The reality was: This person is being lifted off the top of their house which is total under water. All he was wearing was a pair of jeans, a white T shirt and some shoes. This was all he had left! All his possessions.....his house, clothes, car, stereo, pictures, jewelry, food, water, soap, toothbrush, bed, CDs, DVDs...... were gone! What he had on was all he had left of his life. And not just him, but all the dozens of other people who I had seen either being lifted or were still waiting on roof tops. At that moment, a mixture of emotions flooded over me. I was devastated at the thought that tens of thousands of people were in the same situation as these few I had been watching. I felt totally and completely helpless, yet with a strong desire to reach out to these folks and help. I also felt extremely blessed. Here I was, sitting in the comfort of my home, comfortable, dry, food in the kitchen, fresh filtered water in our dispenser, all the things we have a tendency to take for granted. I started praying. Praying for the safety and lives of all those people affected by Katrina, asking Our Lord to have mercy upon them, and asking Him to open the hearts of those who survived who do not know Him to turn to Him in their greatest time of need. I also gave thanks. Thanks for what we DO have (instead of our usual asking for what we DON'T have), asking forgiveness for being so short-sighted for not seeing how blessed my life truly is, and thanking Him for reminding me how short life can be and how quickly it can be taken away.

I was taught in one of my Bible classes that no one dies unless God allows it. This is demonstrated in the book of Luke. And hearing these things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. And they rose up and thrust Him outside the city, and led Him up to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, in order to throw Him down. But passing through the midst of them, He went away. Luke 4:28-30 MKJV My professor talked about Jesus' "passing through the midst of them", suggesting that perhaps Jesus just turned and walked right through the people in the mob as if they weren't even there. He, my professor, explained this could be an example of how no one dies, not even His son, without God allowing it. Think, too, of Paul and the many times he was stoned, beaten, thrown off a cliff, shipwrecked, etc. At one point, Paul was even beaten to the point of death. And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead. Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe. Acts 14:19-20 KJV Now since it says "supposing" he was dead, we don't know for sure if he was dead or not. However, he was at least beaten to the point where they thought he was dead. Only to get up and walk away. The Bible doesn't give specifics, but this passage does give one the feeling that Paul got up and walk away as if he weren't injured at all.

Now, whether or not you believe that no one dies unless God allows them to, let's say for sake of arguement that it is true. The two examples I've given show how Jesus and Paul were spared death. And since God controls everything, we can come to the conclusion that they did not die because God did not allow it. This concept, theology if you will, has just keep running through my head, and heart, since Katrina. It is not for us to ask "why?" or to question the things of God. But our human, sinful nature can sometimes get the best of us and we do ask "why"? Why, Lord, did you allow all these people to be killed? Why did you allow the hurricane to begin with? I have been seeing posts on the internet by people who believe Katrina was the wrath of God. I'm not sure I succumb to this belief. If, however, all the people who were killed were non-believers, and all who survived were believers, then perhaps I could consider giving it credence. But even that would not be "proof positive" it was an act of God. I prefer to believe this was an example of the power of God. The people of New Orleans and Gulf Coast had plenty of warning that this hurricane was approaching, and was dangerous. Some chose not to listen. And then there were those would did not have the means to evacuate. Innocent bystanders, you might say. God has proven to us time and time again through the Old Testament that He "removes" His people from danger to protect them. Take Moses, for example. Saved as an infant so he may grow up and lead the people of Isreal out of salvery and bondage. And there are examples of people who had been warned but did not listen. Lot's wife, for example.

Agree or disagree, I welcome both. This has just been my way of trying to make sense out of all of this. Probably trying to make sense out of something totally senseless. Or perhaps not? Is this a sign of things to come? Jesus tells us to look for signs of His return. This is probably the worst natural disaster to happen in US history. The tsumani last year, the nearly 1000 people killed in a stampede in Iraq, the war itself.....are these all signs?

Personally, I'm not so concerned about whether they are signs or not. I'm more concerned about are we ready? Have we spread the Gospel to as many people as we can? Have we brought as many people to Christ as possible? WE might be ready, but is the world ready? I had another professor (my evangelism class) make the comment that the Bible tells us Jesus will return when the last person hears the Gospel. He then asked us "wouldn't it be something if you were the one to tell the Gospel to that last person?"