A Christian’s Role in Disaster Response – July 5, 2009

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Disaster holds divine purpose. In Acts 27:13-26 we read how God brought Paul and a hurricane together to proclaim a message for a divine purpose. A Christian’s Role in Disaster Response is that you are prepared for disaster when you trust that God is working in it, and you can tell that to others. July 5, 2009.

Disaster is all around us. Those of you who work in the fields of health care or education probably receive regular training and practice drills to prepare you in case of a disaster at your place of work. More specifically, you receive training and practice drills to prepare you to help others in case of a disaster. Throughout the Bible God reports disaster after disaster – from the Egyptian exodus to the Babylonian exile, from wars launched by pagan, power-hungry kings to wind and waves smashing water and fear into the frightened faces of storm-tossed disciples. And in the middle of these disasters God puts his people – Moses, Daniel, Joshua, Paul … and you. God puts us there as participants of disaster for one primary purpose. He revealed this purpose to Moses during the exodus. As God instructed Moses to stretch out his hands over the waters of the sea to divide them for safe crossing, he said, “The Egyptians will know that I am the Lord” (Exodus 14:4). Disaster holds divine purpose. In the same way, God revealed his purpose for the apostle Paul at the beginning of his ministry: “This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name” (Acts 9:15,16). Disaster, in Paul’s personal life, would hold divine purpose both for him, for his companions, and millions today who read his story. As a Christian, you are prepared for disaster when you trust that God is working in it, and you can tell that to others.

Your crisis despite my advice is our problem.

They called it a demon with magical powers. That’s the meaning of the Greek word “typhoon,” used here in Acts 27 to describe the hurricane storm slashing at Paul and his shipmates like a tiger pawing at its prey before the kill. Paul had his own crisis to worry about, however. He’d been arrested by the Romans, imprisoned, put on trial, and now fearing for his life he’d appealed to Caesar; so they tossed him (and his companion, Luke, who wrote the book of Acts) on this boat with other prisoners and sent them off for the trip to Italy. Joining them in this untimely disaster was a crew of pagan sailors who needed a lifeboat named Jesus. What they didn’t know, but Paul did, was that demons and magical powers had nothing to do with this hurricane whose purpose was divine. What they also didn’t know, but Paul did, was that Paul stood in the eye of the storm as much as a preacher stands in the spotlight of the pulpit. God brought Paul and a hurricane together to proclaim a message for a divine purpose.

The opportunity would have blown away with the wind if Paul had been more concerned for his personal survival than the eternal salvation of his shipmates … if Paul had lost his composure and lashed out in anger at God for ruining his travel plans … or if Paul had not been prepared for disaster, previously shipwrecked on three other occasions (whose divine purpose now unfolds before our eyes). Paul could have complained about the weather that he couldn’t control, but instead he chose a virtuous response he could control. Paul could have cursed God in front of them all but instead he must have prayed to God for the safety and salvation of his pagan companions.

In what disasters of your life have you lost faith like the disciples in the storm? Why did you think Jesus wasn’t paying attention? Why did you even consider that powers of nature – illness, weather, death, time – had gained mutiny control of their Creator? In the words of Jesus himself, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith” (Mark 4:40)? Jesus puts us, his disciples, in the middle of disasters not to implode under the pressure of fear, but to explode like fireworks lighting up the sky, showing the beauty and awe that can come out of chaos. Jesus puts us in the center of disasters for a divine purpose, as his chosen instruments to carry his name before people. First, however, Jesus put himself in the center of the ultimate disaster – the sin and guilt of sinners – and made himself the target of God’s angry lighting bolts directed at our sins. By his powerful blood and resurrection he calmed that storm forever, as if speaking the words, “Quiet! Be still!” The wind and wave of guilt and fear swirling within us or around us is not real guilt but a lie of the devil. So don’t be afraid. The storm of sin is done. Disasters will come, and the booms and the flashes of light are not lighting at all but the fireworks of God putting your faith on display for others to see.

With saving love Jesus has made your problem his problem. When faced with disaster Paul did the same for his companions. “Keep up your courage because not one of you will be lost.” Despite Paul’s previous advice to the crew that they not try to keep sailing they did, and now they were in trouble. Paul reminds them of that only to build credibility for what he was about to tell them. Only to make their problem his problem. “Last night an angel of the God whose I am and whom I serve stood beside me.” Paul tells them, “I belong to this God,” explaining his calm confidence during a storm. He then adds, “I serve this God,” because life for Paul isn’t ultimately about Paul, Paul’s agenda, Paul’s business, Paul’s career, Paul’s dreams, Paul’s promotion, or Paul’s retirement but Paul serves God, who saved Paul and has chosen Paul for a divine purpose. When you follow God’s message and God’s mission nothing can reroute you from a fulfilled, meaningful, courageous journey that takes you places you’d never find on your own. The angel gave Paul a message and mission, “Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.”

Your courage is my faith in our God.

Four years after the disaster of Hurricane Katrina critics call the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s response a disaster of its own. Ill prepared by its fixation on the threat of terrorism, poorly led by a director who has since resigned, and diverted by a blame game pointing fingers at the poor decisions of the New Orleans mayor, FEMA at the very least lost credibility for itself, the president and the government, and at the worst cost lives. God puts you in the middle of a disaster for a divine purpose that includes his confidence that you will not make it worse. You will stand strong in Jesus, fight the good fight of faith, be part of the solution, and tell others about God’s divine purpose. Because we believe that Grace sent a hurricane relief team to Mississippi after Katrina to cut and haul trees and tell about God’s divine purpose disaster. Because you believe that, you attend a funeral to share your concern and sympathy – and God’s purpose – with a friend who has lost someone special. Last weekend I met Marty, who told me the story of being diagnosed with colon cancer, scheduled for surgery, and the night before in his hospital room praying and praying … not realizing he was praying aloud in a room he shared with a guy who got drunk and wrapped his truck around a tree. The next morning Marty went in for surgery, woke up, and the surgeon informed him they couldn’t find any colon cancer; it was literally gone, even after being diagnosed by three different doctors. Marty’s roommate who wrecked his truck observed it all, and asked Marty if he could pray for him too. That’s why Marty told me the story, not to rejoice in his miraculous healing, which would have been reason enough, but to rejoice in the spiritual hope of his roommate. God put Marty in the middle of this disaster for a divine purpose. And by faith Marty found it. Followed it. And shared it.

People around you have more hope and courage when they see your hope and courage. Paul told his companions who had lost all hope, hadn’t eaten for days, and were being driven away from their destination by a hurricane, “Keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me.” Your faith in God can mean courage for others who may not have as much faith in God at that moment. You know that the God who watches sparrows promises to watch over anyone who looks to him; tell a friend who needs some courage you believe that’s true for them. You know that God is a refuge where anyone can run and hide from the dangers of body and soul; tell a friend who needs some courage you believe that’s true for them. You know that the God who sent his Son to touch lepers, forgive prostitutes, and employ simple, stinky fisherman who ended up changing the world welcomes any sinner into his family and uses them in a meaningful way for his kingdom; tell a friend who needs some courage you believe that’s true for them

Another opportunity to encourage others with your faith is to let them know you are praying for them. This is an easy yet effective witness to the divine purpose of disaster. Your praying shows your faith in a God whom you believe is working not just in your life but also in the life of the person for whom you’re praying. When you tell someone that you will pray for them it gives them hope and courage. A friend of mine told me about a mutual friend, named Mike, who was in the hospital for heart surgery, so I added Mike to my prayer list. After a couple days I called Mike’s wife to encourage her. She told me his bypass surgery was a success, but she shared her fears and frustrations that Mike wasn’t the same person since he’d come out of surgery and was hearing voices and hallucinating and the doctors didn’t know what to do. I told her I was praying for Mike, whom I had met just once before, and asked if I could visit him. She said he probably wouldn’t know who I was but I could go. I visited Mike in the hospital and he not only remembered me, and not only carried on a normal conversation, but his wife came while I was there and was simply astonished. I told her I had been praying for Mike and, well, sometimes God just likes to show off. We went on to talk about their spiritual life, and then Mike opened up that he had been estranged from his brother for years. I let Mike make the connection that the same God who worked healing in his life could heal his relationship with his brother too.

In 2008 the American Red Cross responded to eight hurricanes in the U.S. More than 26,000 Red Cross employees and volunteers were deployed to open more than 1,000 shelters, arrange more than 497,000 overnight stays, and serve 16 million meals and snacks to first responders and affected residents. The American Red Cross has been called the largest disaster response organization in the world. Without minimizing their efforts, you are part of an even larger disaster response as a believer in Jesus. Your faith is powerful for others. Your confidence that God is working in the lives of people helps them hope. Your experience with previous disasters of your own makes you a better prepared witness to God’s purpose in new disasters. And then what others might at first call a disaster, ends not as a disaster for them at all. Because with your help they see God at work. Amen.

Preached at Grace Lutheran Church, Milwaukee, WI (http://www.gracedowntown.org/) on July 5, 2009

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