Lessons Learned from Katrina

First off, let me apologize to anyone who may have been checking this blog looking for updates over the past few weeks. I have been slacking in my blog duties... and as punishment, I think those of you who read this should take it upon yourselves to send me on a trip to a secluded island (with white beaches and crystal blue water) so I can think about what I have done. So you just let me know when that "punishment" will need to take place.

So any good blogger can't let something as catastrophic as Hurricane Katrina occur and not mention it, right? So I have decided to immortalize a few of the lessons I learned from last week. (these are not necessarily in the order that I learned them or was reminded of them... just of the top of my head as I type).

1. Man's depravity always finds a way to shine

• Please understand that my heart broke for the people who were stranded in the Superdome, but the reactions of so many people (both those stranded and those watching them remain stranded) broke my heart as well. Shootings, rapes, looting... all of this shows that at our core, we are all evil. Yes, I said we not they. We all have the capacity to respond in similar ways... and I was reminded of my own sinfulness as I watched the news last week.

2. In times of trouble, people help (as the Lord directs)

• The reports of shelters being overwhelmed with volunteers and donations is amazing to me. I am not all that shocked, but it still is amazing to me that so many people want to help. And I will say this as well... even those who are not born again believers are willing to help - a LOT. Now because of how I view God's sovereignty, I trust that any good that is done in this world is done by His prompting (even if the person doing the good is unaware of it). So this really just highlights the Lord's love for this race of humans He created... He loves us and works ALL things together for the good of those who love Him.

3. The Freedom we have in Christ

• This is more of an analogy that came to mind this morning. As I started thinking about my own sinfulness, the Lord reminded me that I have liberty to say no to ungodliness and worldly passions (sin). That made me think of the thousands of people who were stranded at the Superdome. They were not able to get to safety. They could still physically move... but the obstacles were just too great for them. They could not overcome the barriers that had been placed between them and the rest of the country. In the same way, we cannot overcome our sin on our own. We need the Lord to be gracious and rescue us from our sin. And when He does, we are free to stay away from it. Just like the evacuees are free to stay away from the toxic wasteland that New Orleans currently is. But just like many of the evacuees... we want to go back, don't we? But why? Why would we want to go back to something that only brought misery and pain? We are free in Christ to stay on the "High Ground" that He has brought us to. It is for freedom that He set us free... what a beautiful truth.

So those are the highlights... I hope they encourage some of you. I could probably write more, but my lunch hour is fading fast.