We all sat around waiting for the fury of nature to come upon us. Hurricane Irene was on a path for New England coast line. By the time it got here it had become a tropical storm. High winds and much rain resulted in lots of damage but the warnings and the public fear that those warnings produced is disquieting.
Years ago they had storms and no warnings except the sense of storm in the air. There was no radar tracking and immediate information of what has been in other places and what is coming. Immediate access of information and emergency response teams create a sense of safety and that is good. At the same time the warnings that go unfulfilled create a "the boy who cried wolf" syndrome." People listen less and less to warnings particularly those that are controlling and directing. People were directed to leave there homes for Red Cross shelters because they have no electricity. It is great that we have shelters but really because you have no electricity you have to give up the comforts of your home for a cot in an open hall. Maybe it is because people are used to sleeping with the light on or the TV going. Years ago in fact a few weeks ago we lived in a camp with no electricity and so we simply went to bed and got up at dawn, There was no real problem.
Faith sees the ark of God's care as a place of and for shelter but even there there was no electricity so what did they do at night in the storm. They slept in the comfort of knowing that whatever will be will be. All I have to do is respond to whatever is with love and grace toward all and all will be well. All that really matters that is.
That is what people did years ago. They weathered the storm instead of listening to weather warnings. I am not saying we should not listen to wether warnings as that would be irresponsible. I am saying while listening to the weather warnings we should imply and employ trust in God to be with us no matter what. We then relax out of the "electricity of fear" into the "electricity free" night with the "electricity of faith".
With eyes of faith wide open we close our eyes in faith.
About Me
- Don Paine
- I am a pastor and a clinical psychotherapist. My life's passion is defining healthiness from a human perspective and paralleling it to the holiness of God, divine perspective. Shifting perspectives creates a paradigm that is alongside of rather than over and against. The parakalein of God and the paradoxes of humanity are redefined. Humanity is all about winning and yet we are losing ground everywhere. Divinity is all about letting go of the desire to win and the fear of loss. The Divine embraces the world with loving care regardless of anything.
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