Then the Lord will
create over the whole site of Mount Zion and over its places of assembly a
cloud by day and smoke and the shining of a flaming fire by
night. Indeed, over all the glory there will be a canopy. It will serve as a pavilion, a shade by day
from the heat, and a refuge and a shelter from the storm and rain.
Isaiah 4:5-6
I cannot imagine what it must be like to live through a disaster
such as an earthquake or a hurricane, where everything I was accustomed to
having around me– my home, my family, my possessions – are suddenly out of my
reach. In the midst of my worries, I might wonder if God has abandoned all of
us living through this frightening situation.
The words of Isaiah 4:5-6 were meant to remind the people of
Israel, as the world they knew crumbled around them, that problems in our lives
do indeed arise, yet it is God’s
will that people should live in peace and security. Therefore, even in the midst
of tragic events,
God offers hope that life goes on. It
might not be life as we once knew it, but better things do lie ahead. That’s why God sent us the hope of an
infant born in a manger. One who starts
with so little will become our canopy of protection. Jesus will be the shining
light that guides us through the dark times of our lives.
That light might come in the form of organizations such as
Lutheran Disaster Response – Eastern PA – providing assistance long after
disaster has struck.
It might come in the form of the many valuable volunteers for
such valuable agencies.
O God, our refuge and strength, when our hearts are overwhelmed
with fear and dismay, help us notice
your signs of light guiding us into restoration and new life. Amen.
Paulette Obrecht is interim pastor of St. Mark’s – Appenzell in Northeast PA Synod and serves as a hospital chaplain
and Disaster Spiritual Partner for Lutheran Congregational Services.
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